


Charmed AU: The Power Of Four

by Metal_Ox137



Category: Charmed (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-06
Updated: 2016-08-14
Packaged: 2018-07-21 21:13:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 29,770
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7405048
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Metal_Ox137/pseuds/Metal_Ox137
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The reunited Halliwell sisters find themselves at a fateful crossroads, having to decide whether or not to embrace magic once again...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Fire

**Author's Note:**

> This short story continues from where the second "Charmed AU" series left off, but the focus now is on the original Halliwell sisters and Phoebe's return home. Fingers crossed, this story is sufficiently self-contained, so you should be able to read it without having read the other two series first. Any continuity errors or plot holes are entirely the fault of the author, not any confusion on the part of the reader :P

It was the last weekend of June, and Saturday morning arrived with a frigid and unusually heavy rain. Dark clouds rolled low over the city of San Francisco just before dawn, blotting out the sunrise, and the intermittent rumble of muted thunder growled menacingly in the distance.  
In the attic of Halliwell Manor, Prue Halliwell sat curled up in an oversized upholstered chair, with the massive Book of Shadows sitting heavily on her lap. As the rain lashed against the window, Prue shivered and pulled her shawl a little tighter around her shoulders. She took a sip from the mug of piping hot lemon tea she'd brought up from the kitchen, and set the mug back on the small end table beside her chair. Sighing, Prue brushed back a stray lock of her long, ebony-black hair from her face, pushed her reading glasses up to the bridge of her nose, and turned her attention back to the book.  
She found herself doing this more and more often - sitting in the attic alone, reading the family grimoire, and not entirely sure why. Prue and her sisters had mutually agreed to remove their powers, and more often than not, she didn't miss them - or the hassles that went along with them. Yet, somehow, she felt strangely incomplete without magic in her daily life.  
She turned the aged, brittle pages of the book slowly, pausing here and there to read a few lines in desultory fashion. She wasn't looking for anything in particular - just reading for its own sake, something she still loved to do, when time permitted. As she read, the thought came to mind that surely her mother and grandmother had also contributed spells to this book - not every spell came penned directly from the hand of Melinda Warren. She started leafing through the pages a little more quickly, hoping to come across something that her mother had written.  
"Marco!" A voice floated up from somewhere just outside the stairwell.  
"Polo!" Prue called back, not taking her eyes off the book.  
A few moments later, Prue's younger sister Piper peeked her head around the doorframe. Seeing Prue sitting pensively, she walked in, not wanting to disturb her but needing to talk.  
"What are you doing?" Piper asked, and, upon seeing the Book of Shadows, sighed with exasperation. "Prue, I thought we agreed - no magic."  
Prue looked up at her sister, and smiled disarmingly. "I'm just reading," she protested.  
"No, reading is for trashy romance novels or newspapers," Piper retorted, pulling up a battered wood-frame rocking chair next to Prue, and settling herself into it. "This book is good for only one thing - casting spells."  
Prue sighed and closed the book carefully. "I was looking for any spells that mom might have written," she admitted. "Just curious. That's all."  
"And what's with the cheater readers?" Piper pointed at the glasses that had slipped, again, all the way to the end of Prue's nose. "I thought you were going to make an appointment with the optometrist."  
"I was," Prue agreed, taking the glasses off and setting them on the table beside her. "I mean, I am. I'm definitely ready for prescription lenses. It's just - I think I've decided I'm going to get frames. I really don't want to deal with contact lenses."  
"Why not? Are glasses sexy again? ... Like that's possible."  
"Well... Andy likes them," Prue admitted with a shy smile.  
"Ohhhh," Piper drawled, and then chuckled softly. "Well, in that case, nerd yourself out, sister."  
"Glasses aren't nerdy," Prue objected.  
"Sure they are."  
"Well, I'm an art historian working in an auction house. I think I already qualify as a nerd." Prue carefully set the book on the floor beside her, so that she could give Piper her full attention. "So, what's up?"  
"Have you talked to Phoebe about her visit next weekend?"  
"No, why? Has anything changed?"  
"No," Piper shook her head. "And that's the problem."  
The dark cloud that passed over Piper's face was so pronounced that Prue could only sigh. "Piper, Phoebe moved out of the house. She didn't leave the family."  
"I know," Piper responded sullenly.  
"She's made it a point to visit us at least a couple of times a week, and she's doing that mostly to please you." When Piper didn't answer, Prue prodded gently, "Come on, we can hardly expect her to spend the rest of her life here."  
"Why not?" Piper asked. "Mom did. So did Grams."  
"Piper, there's three of us - well, actually, now there's _four_ of us," Prue corrected herself, thinking of Paige. "Were you really expecting all of us to still be living together under one roof in fifty years, when we're all wrinkled old crones?"  
"No," Piper admitted with a grudging sigh.  
"Look, Phoebe has a boyfriend now - and a job," Prue said, taking up her mug of tea and warming her hands before she sipped it.  
"Yeah, so? She can't be a police cadet here?"  
"Well, here, she would have to hide her powers," Prue pointed out. "Where she lives now, she's actually in demand because she's a witch."  
"That must be so weird," Piper murmured. "Not having to hide who or what you are. Or make up stupid stories when something freaky happens."  
"Sounds great, doesn't it?"  
"Prue, you're not seriously thinking of moving there," Piper exclaimed with dismay.  
"NO," Prue declared forcefully. "I'm not. I have a life of my own, right here, that I'm perfectly happy with. And besides - a world without cell phones, cable television and the Internet?" She shuddered with distaste. "No, thanks."  
Despite her malaise, Piper grinned at her sister's mock horror.  
"The point is, everything that I've always yelled at Phoebe for not doing, she's doing it now," Prue continued. "She's turned herself into a responsible and trustworthy person. And she's been going out of her way to make us both feel like we're still part of her life. I can't fault anything she's doing."  
"Except for the fact she's not here."  
"She's visiting us constantly," Prue reminded her sister. "And she's always said, if anything urgent comes up, she's just a phone call away." She took a long sip from her mug of tea. "Look, I know you're still unhappy that Phoebe moved away. And I am, too, if I'm being honest. But she is taking our feelings into account, and she's really trying to make everything work."  
"I know, I know," Piper sighed.  
"If you want to nurse your hurt, that's your prerogative," Prue said quietly. "But if I were you - if you really want Phoebe to keep coming back to visit us, then I'd start making her feel a little more like a member of the family."  
"What, this is all my fault now?" Piper declared angrily.  
"Piper, every time Phoebe shows up, you just turn on your evil glare," Prue remonstrated gently. "You're doing it to me, right now. The two of you have never been tense like this. Ever. Not even as kids. I used to fight with Phoebe all the time, but you're taking the hostility to an entirely different level. I know this isn't what you want to hear, but - if you don't manage to let go of that anger, you really will lose Phoebe, and probably for good. And I know you don't want that."  
Piper didn't answer, but Prue knew her sister well enough that she was actually mulling over the advice, not rejecting it.  
"You've told her how hurt you are," Prue added quietly. "And she's really trying to make it up to both of us. My advice is, give her that chance. Give all of us that chance."  
Slowly, and reluctantly, Piper nodded her assent.  
"Anyway, there's something I want to ask you," Prue said, adjusting her shawl. "About the manor."  
"You're not thinking of selling it?" Piper asked in dismay. "Prue, I know the property taxes are horrific, but -"  
Prue gave her sister a disparaging look. "Of course not," she chided. "But I'm thinking, what are we going to do, when all of us get around to starting families of our own? Because it's going to happen eventually. We can't cram three sets of kids into this one house. Or maybe four sets," she frowned, correcting herself, then shook her head to dismiss the thought. "The manor's big, but it's not that big."  
Piper gave her sister a wide grin. "You and Andy are thinking about having kids?"  
"We haven't really talked about it, at least, not seriously. But - I think you and Leo have been talking about it a lot." Prue returned the grin to her sister. "Am I right?"  
"You're not wrong," Piper allowed.  
"Of all of us, you're the one who's most likely to get married first, and you're also most likely to be the one who has kids first..."  
"Hold on. You don't know, Paige could find somebody first," Piper objected, but not strongly. "Even if you and Andy decide to handicap yourselves out of the race."  
"I don't know about that," Prue demurred, and then her expression turned wistful. "Seeing my niece really changed my priorities about a lot of things."  
"Really?" Piper gave her sister a bemused look. "Wow."  
"What?"  
"I dunno, I just always pictured you as Miss Perfect Career Woman. That's all."  
"Are you saying I can't have a career _and_ a family?" Prue's tone was bantering, but she was slightly annoyed.  
"Let's just say, I'll believe it when I see it."  
Prue nodded, momentarily lost in her own thoughts. "My other self managed it," she answered, but she was mostly talking to herself. "And after I saw that beautiful little girl, I thought, she wasn't wrong to make that choice."  
They sat in silence for a moment, then Prue looked at her younger sister and smiled warmly. "Anyway. I'm still betting that you'll be first in the baby pool. So when the time comes, it should be you and Leo who settle down here. First sister to have a baby gets the house. What do you think?"  
Piper gave her sister a bemused smile. "What, and we're supposed to just kick you and Paige to the curb?"  
"I don't think the change will be quite that abrupt," Prue laughed.  
Piper pursed her lips, pondering something. "Do you think -" she began, and then halted herself.  
"Do I think what?"  
"Well - I don't know, Paige doesn't seem to be into, you know, _guys,"_ Piper said awkwardly. She looked at her sister pleadingly. "You don't think she's -?" She made a vague gesture with her hands.  
Prue made a tiny snort of bemusement. "Well, you could always just ask her, Piper."  
"Yeah, but that seems so - personal."  
"Well, it is personal. But if she's family, then that comes with the territory."  
"It's just that she seems so completely alone. She doesn't have any friends that I know of. Or at least, no one she's really close to. It's like she has her day job, and nothing else."  
"I doubt that's true. I think we just need to get to know her a little better. Are you still planning to join us for the DNA test on Monday?"  
"Sure," Piper nodded, but then her face clouded with worry. "Prue - what if the test shows that Paige isn't our sister? What if she's not related to us at all?"  
"You don't really think that, do you?" Prue asked in turn. "Piper, we used the 'lost witch' spell to find Paige," she reminded her. "I don't think she could have answered that summons, if she wasn't related to us."  
"I know, it's just - I'm having a hard time accepting that we've had another sister all this time, and we never knew."  
"I know what you mean," Prue said sympathetically. "I'm still trying to process it, too. But it's only awkward for us. It's turning Paige's whole world upside down."  
"Yeah, like that never happens with us," Piper retorted dryly.  
"Worst case scenario, she's not related to us, then she stays with us long enough until she can move out on her own - and hopefully, we stay close with her after that," Prue suggested. "But frankly, there's enough circumstantial evidence out there that I'm willing to call the DNA test a formality. Paige was showing signs of having Phoebe's power, before we decided to shut all the magic down." Prue's look grew thoughtful. "Is Paige up yet?"  
"She came in pretty late last night," Piper reported. "Or should I say, early. She was making rounds of all the newest and hottest clubs."  
Prue sighed enviously. "Yeah, I remember being twenty-three once," she said with a rueful smile. "Maybe Paige has more of a social life than you think."  
"She even told me I should think about opening a club of my own," Piper could barely suppress a shudder. "Can you imagine?"  
Prue grinned. "I thought you still had your heart set on a little corner restaurant."  
"I still do," Piper retorted. "I've just about had it up to here with Martin. Absentee boss when you need him, micro-manager from Hell when you don't."  
"Which just proves the old saying, people don't leave jobs, they leave managers," Prue commented, standing up. "Thank God we vanquished Rex. Claire's obnoxious, but at least she's human. Just do us all a favor, make sure you have something else lined up, before you turn in your notice at Quake."  
"That's something else I wanted to ask you," Piper admitted, as Prue stooped down to pick up the Book of Shadows and return it to its stand. "Do we want to ask Paige to start paying a share of the household bills?"  
"I suppose we should discuss it with her," Prue agreed. "I haven't brought it up, because I guess I'm not sure what would be appropriate."  
"Actually, she brought it up with me," Piper answered. "She says she is very grateful, but - and I'm quoting her here - she doesn't want to be the stray dog rescued from the animal shelter."  
Prue laughed. "That sounds like Paige."  
"Anyway, there's three of us, and we're all gainfully employed," Piper pointed out. "There's always the simplest solution, which is splitting the groceries and utilities and property taxes and all other expenses into three equal shares."  
"Ockham's razor," Prue nodded in approval, collecting her tea mug.  
"Prue, you're nerding out on me again," Piper protested.  
"Sorry."

* * * 

The rain slackened only slightly after daybreak. In an unmarked sedan, Inspectors Andy Trudeau and Darryl Morris were headed to the station house to begin their day's work, driving along their route with uncharacteristic slowness because of the storm.  
"This is worse than fog," Andy grumbled, turning the wiper blades up to a higher setting, which did precious little to clear his vision from the cascading water pouring onto the windshield.  
Darryl Morris dismissed the intemperate weather with a laconic shrug of the shoulders. "It'll pass." He turned to look at his partner. "So, how are things with you and Prue?"  
"Good," Andy answered, but he did not take his eyes off the road - what little of it could be seen. "We're doing great."  
"You seemed a little rocky there for a while."  
"Yeah, well, that was mostly because of the big secret she was hiding. We're past that now."  
"Really." Darryl mulled that over. "So, you're okay with dating a witch."  
"Well ... the supernatural part I could live without. But Prue's still the most amazing woman I've ever met."  
Darryl smiled mirthlessly. "Man. You're really smitten."  
"I guess I am," Andy admitted. "How are things with you and Sheila? Any better?"  
Darryl hesitated a moment before answering. "She says she wants a divorce."  
Andy couldn't hide his dismay, and despite the treacherous driving conditions, he looked over at his partner. "God. Darryl. I'm sorry. That stinks."  
Darryl shrugged, a hopeless, despairing gesture. "What ya gonna do," he said tonelessly.  
"Is there anything at all I can do to help?"  
"Got a spare couch I can crash on?" Darryl answered only half-jokingly.  
Their conversation was interrupted by the police radio. "Ten-fifteen," the dispatcher's voice crackled over the speaker, and gave a set of cross streets. Andy reached for the vehicle's intercom, and Darryl groaned in dismay.  
"Aww, shit, man, let the black and whites handle it," he protested.  
"Morris, we're two blocks away. We can secure the scene until they arrive." He picked up the receiver. "I just can't believe anybody's picking a fight in this kind of weather."  
A few moments later, Trudeau pulled the sedan over to the curb with a hard turn. Just ahead of them, the alley adjacent to the street was glowing with a pulsating light - and huge tongues of green, smokeless flame spitting out into the street.  
"What the hell," Darryl swore softly. "Since when is fire _green?"_  
The two inspectors quickly exited the car, weapons drawn. The street was deserted of both foot and vehicular traffic, and they crossed the narrow lane in the drenching downpour, positioning themselves on opposite sides of the alley entrance.  
As they turned the corner and went in, only a few yards away, a large, hulking figure dressed in black, his back turned to them, was holding another man by the throat - and holding him up so high that his feet dangled helplessly a good two feet off the alley floor. The man's writhing body was aflame - not with the green flame they'd seen earlier, but with dark, reddish orange hues - and yet something about this fire was not natural; it seemed neither to move nor burn as fire did, but slowly consumed its victim like acid. Both detectives froze at the sight, hardly able to believe their own eyes.  
Andy shook off his own stupefaction with some effort. "Hey!" he shouted.  
Startled, the figure turned and growled at the unwelcome witnesses in cold rage. The face was just barely human; dark red skin with pointed ears, and tribal tattoos in jet black drawing sinister lines across the face, centering underneath black-within-black eyes. The two inspectors could only stare at the sight, dumbfounded and paralyzed.  
The demon turned his attention back to his victim, somehow increasing the intensity of the flame; and despite the man's windpipe being forcibly closed, he managed to gurgle out a strangled scream before the fire consumed him utterly, leaving no trace - not even smoke.  
The demon turned again to look upon the detectives. Grinning malevolently, he brought a huge index finger to his lips, in a mockery of asking for silence.  
"Shh."  
Then, he was gone - vanishing as quickly, and as completely, as his victim - as if a shadow had fallen across his form and consumed him. Nothing was left behind but the rain.  
The two detectives exchanged horrified glances.  
"What the hell was that?" Darryl demanded, his voice low and choked.  
Cautiously, they approached where the demon had once stood, but apparently the monster had no intentions of reappearing. Both men lowered their weapons, but made no attempt to return them to their holsters.  
Darryl turned to his partner. "Were we just witnesses to a murder?"  
Andy swallowed hard. "Sure looked that way to me."  
Darryl knelt down where the demon had vanished. A few stray scorch marks marred the asphalt, but otherwise, there was nothing. He put his fingers a few inches above the surface, then thought better of it and pulled his hand back.  
"There's no body. Not so much as a fingernail."  
Andy crouched down next to his partner. "And no weapon."  
"Think forensics is gonna find anything in a scorch mark?"  
"Like this? I doubt it."  
"So what do we do? Forget we saw the whole thing?"  
"We didn't dream it, Morris. We both saw it."  
"I still trying to figure out what the hell it was we saw."  
"This is no different than chasing any other bad guy," Andy decided, standing up again. "We were witnesses to a murder. But somebody saw this happening before we did, and called it in. Let's see if we can find out who. Maybe that will lead us to the killer."  
"Seriously? You want to put _this_ on a report?" Darryl gestured feebly at the charred spot. "And what do we say, the suspect just vanished in a puff of smoke? How do we catch a murderer who just disappears into thin air, right in front of us?"  
Andy's mouth was set in a grim line. "We call in an expert. Someone who knows more about this sort of thing than we do."  
"You mean the Halliwell sisters."  
Andy gave his partner a helpless shrug. "We both know we're not going to walk away. Since we're not doing that, we follow up in good faith on what we have."  
Sighing, Darryl stood up as well. "Then we need to get some kind of story straight," he insisted. "Because there's no way I'm putting what we just saw onto a report. I want to retire from this job one day."  
"Agreed," Andy Trudeau nodded solemnly. "Let's try to find out what we're dealing with first."

* * *

By mid-morning, the rain had finally slackened to a light drizzle; the sky outside was lightening, a sign that the worst of the storm was passing. In the atrium at Halliwell Manor, Leo Wyatt was perched on a freestanding ladder, fixing a broken light socket in one of the ceiling lamps. The youngest of the Halliwell sisters, flame-haired Paige Matthews, was reclining on a wicker couch, a cup of coffee in her hand, staring dully out into the backyard at the rain.  
"That should do it," Leo announced to no one in particular, replacing the light bulb. "Paige, would you do me a favor and hit the light switch?"  
Paige looked up, shaken from her doldrums. "Sure," she agreed, setting her coffee cup down and getting up off the couch. She flipped the switch and the light came on.  
Smiling with satisfaction, Leo collected his tools from the pail shelf and carefully descended the ladder. Paige returned to the couch, staring out the window once again. Leo watched her for a moment, then he began placing his equipment back in the toolbox.  
"So, how are you settling in?" he inquired, as casually as he could.  
Paige took a sip of her coffee before replying. "Okay, I guess," she offered noncommittally.  
Leo was having a hard time reading her; she didn't seem terribly inclined to talk.  
"Are you nervous about the test on Monday?"  
"No," Paige shook her head. "Just trying to wrap my head around the fact that I have living relatives."  
"That must have been quite a shock for you."  
Paige shrugged. "Big blue glow-in-the-dark monsters, and demon voices in my head, that's a shock."  
Leo decided to risk engaging Paige in a serious conversation. He settled into another chair just across from her.  
"Paige, I can't even begin to imagine how horrifying that must have been for you," he said quietly. "But I do believe you were shown those things for a reason. A good reason."  
"Leo, look - I know you mean well, but - I don't want to be a witch," Paige protested.  
"But you're not just a witch, Paige. You're also a White Lighter. That's a very special and remarkable blessing."  
"Really."  
"Paige ... when you and your sisters separated yourselves from your powers, that only applies to your magical gifts," Leo said. "It won't have any effect on the abilities you have as a White Lighter. And you need to know what those powers are, and how to use them."  
"You mean I'm still stuck in Spook Central?" Paige exclaimed in dismay.  
"No, of course not. But the gifts you have - they're unheard of. Please believe me when I tell you, there's never been anyone quite like you before. You have powers and abilities no one has ever seen - at least, not in one person. And that may be an uncomfortable truth, but it's one you're going to have to face, sooner or later. But I can help you find your path. I can help you deal with all this. That's what I've been sent here to do."  
"You can help me, by getting rid of these powers. I didn't ask for them, I don't want them, and I sure don't want all the weirdness that goes along with them," Paige answered forcefully. "I lived my whole life without magic up to now, and did just fine."  
"Paige -"  
"I'm serious, Leo. I have enough ugly stuff inside my own head that's hard enough for me to deal with. I don't need other people's ugliness on top of mine."  
"Paige, having a destiny isn't like having a curse," Leo protested.  
"Isn't it?" Paige arched an eyebrow. "Because it's sure looking like that to me. Whatever happened to free will?"  
"You still have it," Leo assured her. "You're exercising it right now."  
"Well, good. I'm gonna keep on exercising it, because I really would rather exercise, than exorcise."  
Her pronouncement made, Paige abruptly stood up and walked out, leaving the room and the conversation behind. A few moments later, Prue poked her head in from the entrance to the kitchen. She noted Leo's dejected look and smiled at him reassuringly.  
"No luck, huh?" she asked, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.  
Leo sighed. "I wish I could get her to even entertain the idea of magic, just for a few minutes."  
"Be charitable, Leo. She's scared."  
"I can help her with that."  
"I know." She gave him a quick, encouraging hug. "She just needs time, to come around to the idea."  
"She's going to take her cues from you, Prue," Leo pointed out. "If you openly embrace magic again, she'd consider it. So would Piper."  
"Ah-ah." Prue held up a hand. "I'm liking my magic-free life, Leo."  
"Really." Leo's smile was uncharacteristically terse. "Is that why you spend all your free time sitting in the attic, reading the Book of Shadows?"  
"Have you been spying on me?" Prue asked suspiciously.  
"Hardly," Leo retorted. "Look, Prue, if you guys don't act soon, the separation of your powers won't be temporary. You'll lose them for good."  
Prue nodded thoughtfully. "I know," she said quietly. "I'm not closed to the idea of getting our powers back. I've seen the good that magic can do, and I do have an appreciation for it. But I am sitting on the fence, while my sisters definitely aren't. We're going to need more than one half of a 'yes' vote to start practicing magic again. All three of us have to be in, Leo. The sisters agreed - if any one of us says no, then that's it, we're done."  
"So, instead of being extraordinary, you'd choose to be ordinary."  
"It's still our choice, Leo. At least, I thought it was."  
"It is. But consider the consequences, Prue."  
"The consequences of having a normal life?" Prue shot back. "Leo, this is the first time in months that it's been sane around here. No demons, no attacks, just peace and quiet and calm. I like that. I like it a lot."  
"You were meant for better."  
"I'm glad you think so," Prue smiled, but then her expression turned somber. "Phoebe was always our magical glue. Any time that Piper and I got cold feet about continuing, she would be there, urging us on. And without her..." Prue sighed heavily, leaving the thought unfinished.  
"Then maybe Phoebe should come home."  
Prue shook her head. "Phoebe's finally in a good place," she demurred. "And I really mean that. I'm not going to demand that she give that up for us. She has a right to a life of her own. Just like we have a right to ours."  
"Even if that means turning your back on all the innocents you're meant to save?"  
Prue recoiled for a moment; then, realizing Leo's intent, smiled knowingly. "Nice try, guardian angel," she wagged a reproachful finger at him. "And very sneaky. You know I'm susceptible to an appeal for personal obligation and responsibility."  
"Did it work?" Leo asked hopefully.  
"It didn't hurt," Prue allowed. "But that argument won't work with my sisters."  
Leo sighed. "No, it won't," he agreed. "Paige I can't reach at all. And Piper won't even discuss it with me."  
"Then you need to find something that appeals to them. Something that entices them to consider the idea."  
"But how do I -"  
"Ah-ah. That's your job, Leo," Prue cut him off. "Don't look to me for hints. As I said. I'm sitting on the fence. But - I will say this," she allowed. "If you can convince Piper and Paige to accept magic, really accept it, then you won't have any trouble getting my vote."  
Leo sighed with chagrin. "Well ... I guess that's a start."  
Their conversation was interrupted by the doorbell. Prue frowned.  
"You're not expecting anyone?" Leo asked, noting Prue's reaction.  
"Andy's not picking me up for dinner until after five. Maybe it's one of Paige's friends."  
Prue crossed the foyer to the front door and opened it. To her surprise, Andy Trudeau and Darryl Morris were standing on the porch.  
"Andy. Darryl," she greeted them warmly, but her smile faltered as she noted their grim expressions. "This isn't a social call, is it?"  
"I'm sorry, Prue, no, it's not."  
"Come in," Prue invited them, opening the door wide to allow the men to enter.  
"Thanks."  
Once they were all inside, Prue gently closed the door behind them, but she leaned in for a quick kiss from Andy before turning her attention to the reason for the detectives' visit. She regarded the state of their attire dubiously.  
"You're soaking wet."  
"Yeah. Sorry about that."  
"What can I do for you?"  
"We need your help," Andy answered. "By that, we mean, witchcraft help."  
"Andy, I told you, I don't have my powers any more."  
"I know. This would be more along the lines of a consultation."  
Prue thought that over for a moment. "Let's go sit in the living room," she decided.  
Prue grabbed some towels from the downstairs bathroom, and invited the detectives to sit with the heavy cloth beneath them. Darryl settled himself into one of the upholstered chairs, while Andy and Prue sat side-by-side on the close end of the long couch.  
"All right, gentlemen, how can I help you?" Prue asked.  
"Morris and I saw something this morning that appears to be ... supernatural."  
"He means, 'freaky deaky'," Darryl grumbled.  
Prue did her best to not burst out laughing. _"Freaky Deaky?"_  
"Yeah. You know. Bad juju. Weird shit for which there ain't no explaining."  
Prue looked from one man to the other, trying to gauge their feelings. Andy seemed tense and slightly embarrassed, but Darryl looked genuinely shaken.  
"You've seen something," she divined.  
"Yeah," Andy nodded, but did not elaborate.  
Leo poked his head in from the adjoining room. "Everything all right?" he inquired.  
"Everything's fine, Leo. They're here to see me," Prue assured him.  
"Okay. Holler if you need anything."  
"I will. Thanks."  
Leo returned to the atrium, and Prue turned her attention back to her guests. "Before we get into this, do you guys want some coffee, or tea, or anything?" she offered.  
"We're good. Thank you," Darryl managed a tense smile.  
"Okay, then. Why don't you tell me what's going on."  
"Actually, what we'd really like is to borrow you for a couple of hours," Andy confessed.  
Prue arched an eyebrow in puzzlement but said nothing.  
"We'd like you to visit a crime scene with us -"  
"If it _is_ a crime scene," Darryl interjected sourly.  
Andy threw a reproving glance at his partner. "Well. We're pretty sure it's a crime scene. We were hoping you could tell us if anything supernatural is involved?"  
"Sure. I'll help if I can," Prue agreed readily. "I may not have my powers any more, but, if any magical or demonic influence was involved, I should still be able to sense it."  
"That's what I was hoping," Andy nodded with relief.  
"What do you mean, you don't have powers?" Darryl frowned. "Aren't you still, you know ... a witch?"  
"Still a witch," Prue agreed. "Just ... semi-retired, I guess."  
Darryl snorted in wry amusement. "No such thing."  
"Probably not. It's just my sisters are about as fond of the 'freaky deaky' as you are." She stood up. "I'm assuming you'd like to go right now?"  
"If you don't mind." Andy was clearly not wishing to impose, but having little choice.  
"I'm free." She gave Andy one of her most radiant smiles. "But afterwards, Inspector Trudeau, when _you're_ free, I'm still expecting to have a lovely dinner and evening out with you."  
"Yes, ma'am," Andy agreed with a solemn smile.  
As they stood up to leave, Prue grabbed Andy's arm, holding him to keep him from moving. Darryl shuffled mechanically out into the foyer.  
"What's going on with Darryl?" Prue whispered urgently.  
Andy's expression turned grim. "Sheila wants a divorce," he whispered back.  
Prue couldn't hide her dismay. "Oh, God," she murmured. "What can we do?"  
Andy shook his head sadly. "I wish I knew."

* * * 

A few minutes later, Andy Trudeau's sedan pulled up on a side street near the alley. When they had left the house earlier, Andy had whispered to Prue to say nothing; and while Prue agreed to stay silent, she couldn't help but watch and worry about Darryl for the entire drive. Even the description of Andy and Darryl's encounter with the demon barely shifted her focus. Andy parked the car and glanced at his passengers.  
"The alley's just a couple of blocks up," he explained. "We'll walk from here."  
They got out of the car. The rain had stopped, but the clouds hung stubbornly over the city and the air was still unseasonably cold. Feeling a chill, Prue zipped up her jacket almost to her chin, and stuffed her hands in her pockets. Andy offered his arm and she took it with a grateful smile. Darryl fell into step alongside them as they walked up the street in the direction of the alley.  
"So, how do you sense magic, anyway?" Darryl asked, genuinely curious.  
Prue shrugged. "How do you know when someone's been cooking fried chicken in your kitchen?"  
"What, you mean, you can _smell_ magic?"  
"Well, not smell it, exactly. But magic does leave lingering traces whenever it's used. Since I'm a witch, I can sense these things more easily than most people. You probably walk around passing through traces of magical energy several times a day, and never even notice it."  
"There's no way I'm gonna sleep tonight," Darryl muttered to himself.  
They turned down the alleyway. Prue looked questioningly at Andy.  
"This is the spot?"  
Andy Trudeau nodded tersely. "The scorch mark is right over there."  
"Okay, let me see," Prue nodded, walking forward slowly. As the men made to follow her, she waved them off. "Stay back, you guys."  
"Is there anything dangerous?" Andy asked with concern.  
"No, no, nothing like that. Just - think of me as a member of the forensics team. Less disturbance to the crime scene, the better." She managed a weak smile.  
Reluctantly, the two men hung back while Prue apprehensively approached the site. The asphalt and concrete around her were still visibly damp from heavy rain, but the scorched area itself somehow had remained dry as bone dust. Prue crouched down about two feet away from the burn mark, and pursed her lips as she concentrated. The answer she sought was not long in coming.  
Prue was unable to suppress a violent shudder that ran through her whole body. "Oh, my God," she murmured softly.  
"You sense something?" Andy asked.  
"Give me a minute, Andy. I need to concentrate."  
As revulsive as the trace was, Prue knew she had to examine the energy signature closely. She stood up, closed her eyes and willed her conscious thoughts dormant. She slowly raised her arms, spreading her fingers wide. The blackness that reached out to Prue in response was so vile she nearly gagged. She drew in a sharp breath and let her arms drop. Hesitantly, she took a few steps forward, giving the burned mark a wide berth. In the dim light beyond, she could see several such marks running the length of the alley - all of them much older and much fainter. She turned and looked back at the two detectives.  
"It's a miracle you two didn't get yourselves killed," she said, her voice taut.  
"So there was a murder here."  
"An execution, maybe." Prue rejoined them, trying not to show haste in her movements.  
"Execution?"  
"I'm sensing a very strong magical presence here. And it's evil. Reekingly evil."  
Andy frowned, not understanding. Prue sighed, but not from exasperation; it was more like an exhalation of dismay.  
"I think what you saw was a demon killing another demon."  
"They do that?" Darryl asked.  
"Demons don't work under a collective colony mind, Darryl. They're individuals, looking out for their own best interests. They're no different than people in that regard."  
"So you're saying, no _person_ was murdered here," Andy sought to clarify.  
"If what I'm sensing is right, then yes. No innocent was harmed here. Nobody human."  
"So, what do we do then?" Darryl asked Andy. "Forget we saw the whole thing?"  
"There's something else," Prue added reluctantly.  
Andy regarded his lover with concern; whatever Prue had sensed, it had shaken her badly - and she was trying desperately to hide it. "What is it?" he asked.  
"This isn't the only one. There are other marks, too. Older. But the same pattern. And whatever it was you saw - he's something far worse than any demon I've ever encountered before. Stronger. More powerful. Almost pure, concentrated evil."  
"Which means what, exactly?" Darryl knew as soon as he asked the question, he really didn't want to know the answer.  
"I think you guys saw something very few people ever see. An upper level demon."  
"What, you mean like Satan?"  
"No, no, not like that. And not just a demon able to take human form, either. This one has powers. I mean, off the charts demonic powers."  
Darryl's frown turned into an ugly grimace. "Great."  
Prue sighed helplessly. "Look, guys, I'm hardly an expert," she pleaded. "I only know this is something way out of my league. And whatever it is, it's bad. Really bad."  
"Is this - demon - going to start attacking innocent people?" Andy asked, trying desperately to gauge threat assessment against something that seemed entirely metaphysical.  
"I don't know," Prue said truthfully. "But frankly, if this demon took it into mind to harm anyone, I don't know what we could do to stop him."  
"Even if you had your powers?" Andy asked quietly.  
Prue looked askance at him for a moment, and then shook her head sadly. "I'm sorry, Andy. I really don't know." She sighed again. "The best I can do is consult the Book of Shadows, and see if I can find anything that correlates to what I sensed here." She looked upwards despairingly. "And I need to talk to my sisters."  
Prue returned her focus to the two detectives. "Bottom line, if you see this thing again, don't be heroes. Turn and run for your lives."  
Andy shook his head. "That's not what we do, Prue."  
"We serve and protect," Darryl added, and his conviction made it clear he lived the words.  
"Guys, I'm serious," Prue pleaded. "This is not a threat you can deal with. I'm not even sure if it's a threat I can deal with."  
"There's gotta be an answer, Prue."  
"I know. And I'm going to try to find us one. In the meantime, promise me, if you see this thing again, don't go anywhere near it."  
Seeing that Darryl was about to object, Prue added, "Please, Darryl. I'm asking as a friend. I can't help you, if you get yourself killed."  
Consenting, but not agreeing, Darryl nodded silently.  
They returned to Andy's car, and a few minutes later, after Andy had dropped Darryl off at the station house, he turned to Prue. "Drive you home?" he offered.  
Prue smiled gratefully. "Thanks."  
As Andy pulled the car out into the street, he said, "I'm guessing dinner's probably off tonight."  
"I'm sorry, Andy. I think you and I are both going to have work to do. But maybe you could have dinner with us at my place?" Prue asked hopefully.  
"I don't mind - if your sisters don't."  
"I'm sure they won't mind at all."  
"So, what are you going to do?"  
"First thing is to call Phoebe, tell her we need her at home for at least a few days," Prue sighed dejectedly. "That's not the hard part, though."  
"Oh?"  
"Piper and Paige counted so much on never practicing witchcraft again. It's going to be a tough sell."  
"You don't think you and Phoebe can deal with it by yourselves."  
"Andy, I'm not even sure if the four of us together would be enough for what I sensed today."  
Andy mulled that over for a minute. "Didn't you say you have other sisters, in this other world where Phoebe's staying? And they're all witches, right?"  
"Yeah, but the other me is five months pregnant. I'm really not anxious to have her fighting demons while she's carrying a child. And Paige - oh, God, Paige." Prue stopped for a moment, considering, and then sighed again. "Well, the truth is, both of them are strangers to me. I'm really reluctant to involve either one of them."  
"You mean, risk their lives."  
"I hope it doesn't come to that."  
"But you think it will."  
"Andy, I don't know," Prue protested. "Maybe I am spinning worst case scenarios here, but this is something bad."  
Prue stared out the window, letting her dark thoughts churn restlessly. What she really meant, and didn't say, is that neither Paige was ready for demon battles. Paige in Phoebe's world was a genuinely powerful witch, but new to the craft, and barely skilled. Paige in Prue's world was so traumatized by the thought of witchcraft she couldn't even talk about it. Which effectively meant asking Piper to take back her powers to restore the power of three - something Prue was certain her middle sister didn't want. And the truth was, Prue wasn't certain this was something she wanted for herself, either. The words that Leo had spoken to her earlier echoed accusingly in her ears: _you were meant for better._ To which Prue's own inner voice demanded angrily: _Why is this MY problem to solve? Why is it my responsibility?_ These were questions Piper and Paige would surely ask - and how could Prue answer them, when she wasn't sure she could answer those same questions for herself?  
Prue came to with a start; Andy's car was parked in front of the manor. She looked over at Andy in bewilderment, and he smiled knowingly.  
"How long have we been sitting here?" Prue asked.  
"Just a couple of minutes. I could see you were thinking hard about something."  
"I guess so," Prue admitted numbly.  
"Do you want me to come by later?"  
"Yes," Prue answered emphatically. "God, yes. And bring a toothbrush." Despite her malaise, Prue managed to give her lover a lustful smile.  
Andy grinned in response. "Should I bring take-out for everyone?"  
"Let me check with Piper first, make sure she's not preparing anything. I'll call you." She leaned over to give Andy a quick kiss. "One thing. If you come back, and I'm still holed up in the attic, just wait for me downstairs. Consulting the Book of Shadows means 'do not disturb'."  
Andy nodded soberly. "Fair enough."  
"Thanks, Andy." Prue left another grateful kiss on his cheek. "See you later."

* * * 

The morning rain had done nothing to dampen the foot traffic at the downtown farmer's market, and by midday, the usual weekend throng from the local neighborhoods had turned out to look for bargains. Piper and Paige made their way painstakingly along the stalls, Piper closely examining all the produce, and occasionally handing a carefully selected item to Paige to put into their cloth shopping bag for purchase.  
"You come down here a lot?" Paige asked.  
"Every chance I get," Piper nodded, absently reviewing several boxes of fresh picked berries. "Even if I never get to open my own restaurant, it's good to know where your food comes from."  
"You like to cook, huh?"  
"Yeah. It's been my passion since I was a teenager."  
"You're really good at it."  
"Thanks. You know, you're allowed to bring your friends over to the manor," Piper offered, hoping to start a conversation on the topic. "Prue and I haven't met any of your friends yet. We'd like to meet them sometime."  
"Oh. Ah. Well, I kinda don't really have a whole lot of friends," Paige writhed uncomfortably. "It's mostly all about the job right now."  
Piper frowned. "You don't have _any_ friends outside of work?"  
Paige sighed. "Well - I could say I don't have the time, and it's true that I'm busy, but - no - I'm - I'm kind of a odd duck," she admitted, her anxious smile looking more and more like a grimace. "Just a little too weird for most people. And a full-time introvert. It's really hard for me to make friends. I mean, anyone I can be really close to."  
"Paige, you need some kind of life outside of your job," Piper said, feeling dismayed at Paige's apparent isolation.  
"I know, I know," Paige agreed wholeheartedly.  
"What about when you go to the clubs?"  
"Well - I just go by myself. I don't want to sit at home and stare at the wall. Sometimes I dance. Sometimes I just hang out and watch other people."  
"Yeah, but you need more interaction than just watching other people."  
"You're right. You're right. And it's something I really want to change." Paige pursed her lips. "I've been meaning to ask you - what are the house rules about bringing somebody home? I mean - you know - to spend the night," she added awkwardly.  
Piper looked at her new baby sister expectantly. "You mean, a boyfriend. Are you seeing someone?"  
Piper placed gentle emphasis on the "boy", hoping Paige would pick up on her inflection.  
Paige wrung her hands and smiled sheepishly. "Ahh. No. I'm not seeing anyone yet. But - you never know, right? And I thought, if I _did_ meet someone, then - I should know what the rules are."  
"Fair enough," Piper nodded, although she was slightly irritated that Paige hadn't addressed her inference directly. She sighed. "I guess the main rule is, make sure that Prue and I know who's coming home with you - so if we see some strange guy raiding our fridge in the middle of the night, we won't think he's a burglar, and brain him over the head with a baseball bat."  
Paige bobbed her head in solemn agreement. "Okay."  
"Common courtesy stuff, I think you already know. Bathrooms are for bathing, unless scheduled romance is cleared with all sisters way in advance. Otherwise, keep the private stuff in your own room. And - well, just keep it down. You've probably noticed, sound really carries in that old house."  
Paige smiled disarmingly. "I guess I haven't noticed."  
"Oh, trust me, you will," Piper sighed, rolling her eyes.

* * *

As Prue entered the manor, she decided that the chances of Phoebe being at home on an early Saturday afternoon were practically nil, so she hung her jacket on a peg next to the door, and pelted up the stairs into the attic before anyone could notice that she was home.  
Taking care to quietly close the attic door behind her, Prue took the Book of Shadows from its stand, and hurried to her favorite chair. She settled into her seat with the book on her lap, but she did not open it. Instead, she stared at the book for a long moment, considering; then placed one palm flat over the triquetra on the cover, and raised her eyes heavenward.  
"I have to know," she said aloud, but Prue wasn't sure to whom she was speaking - God, her mother, her ancestors, or simply the wood planking above her. "I have to know that if I ask my sisters to do this, that I can give them a reason - a good reason - for embracing magic again. Something more than, a noble sacrifice has to be made. They need more. _I_ need more."  
She paused for a moment, but the attic remained utterly still. A few lazy dust motes wandered aimlessly through the air, trapped in weak sunbeams radiating from the window.  
"It's not enough for them to know that something good may come of this for someone else. There has to be a balance. There has to be joy. To make this work, I have to break my promise to my sisters. This is going to hurt them. This is going to hurt _me."_  
Prue swallowed hard. When she spoke again, her voice had dropped to a whisper. "Give me a sign that this is the right thing to do," she prayed. "Show me a sign. Anything. Please."  
Prue closed her eyes for a moment, as welling tears were threatening to spill down her cheeks. She sat quietly, slowly drawing in deep breath after another, trying to steady her emotions. As she sat, the embossed leather symbol beneath her hand began to radiate a steady warmth. Puzzled, Prue opened one eye, then the other, then lifted her hand from the book's face to see the triquetra glowing with a soft, golden light. And more than glowing - it was changing.  
As Prue watched, dumbfounded, the symbol on the book's cover slowly unwound itself - like a coiled piece of rope come to life - and settled itself into a new pattern. Threaded within the circle, where there had once been three points, there were now four. The new pattern flashed briefly with a brilliant golden light and settled back into being mere leather, dull and worn, embossed into the surface of the book cover, as if it had always been there. A quadquetra.  
Prue took in a sharp breath. She stared at the book, almost disbelieving her own eyes. Her hand shaking, she let her index finger trace the new outline.  
"Four points," she breathed the words. "Four sisters."  
She looked upwards again, tears now spilling down her cheeks, but she was smiling with gratitude and thanksgiving.  
"Thank you," she whispered, not knowing who or what she was thanking. She hugged the book tightly to her. "Thank you."

* * *

Darryl Morris sat at his desk, staring glumly at the blank report he'd yet to fill out. His gaze wandered from the form to a framed photograph of his wife sitting on his desk, and back again. One of the desk sergeants came up to him and coughed apologetically to get his attention.  
"Sorry to disturb you, sir. One of the ADAs was in here earlier looking for you."  
"Swell," Darryl groaned. "Did he say what he wanted?"  
"Just that he wanted to talk to you about something that you and Inspector Trudeau saw this morning."  
Darryl froze inwardly. He looked at the desk sergeant fiercely. "Did he say anything else?"  
"No. Just that he'd stop by later."  
"Did you get a name?"  
The desk sergeant shook his head. "Not sure you'd want to get a name from this guy, Inspector," he cautioned. "He was a real asshole."  
Darryl relaxed only slightly. "Well, he's a lawyer, right? They're professional assholes. It's their job."  
The sergeant snorted his amusement. "Maybe. But he was worse, somehow. A lawyer straight out of Hell."  
"Yeah. Aren't they all," Darryl sighed morosely.

* * *

Prue had fully intended to do her research as she'd promised Andy, but for the moment, she was simply unable to concentrate. The experience in the attic left her dazed and slightly shaky, so she returned the Book of Shadows to its stand, pausing for a moment to marvel again at the change in the cover, and then made for the stairs, intending to get herself a glass of water or a cup of tea. As she arrived at the downstairs landing, however, the phone began to ring; and she paused for a moment, then stepped over to the end table to pick up the receiver.  
"Hello?"  
"Hey, Prue, it's me." Phoebe's voice.  
"Phoebe." Prue could almost feel her heart breaking with joy.  
"Look, this probably sounds a little weird, but I just got home a few minutes ago, and suddenly I just knew I had to come see you. I mean, tonight. I know I was supposed to come out next week, but - is everything okay? I didn't have a premonition, but I just had this sense that - well - maybe you needed me. Stupid, right?"  
"It's not stupid. I need you," Prue affirmed plaintively, her dusky voice nearly breaking.  
"What's going on?"  
"How soon can you be here?"  
"Well, if you can give me twenty minutes to pack a bag . . . I also had a sense you might need me to stay for a couple of days."  
"That would be wonderful, Phoebe."  
"Are you okay?" Even over the tiny speaker, the concern in Phoebe's voice was evident.  
"I am now," Prue promised her baby sister. "I can't wait to see you."  
"Great. Tell Piper and Paige I love them, and I'll see you guys in time for dinner. And I'll be starving," Phoebe giggled.  
Prue laughed too, and she felt the despair and fear clutching at her heart melting away.  
"I'll tell them. I love you, Phoebe."  
"Love you too, Prue. See you soon."  
Prue placed the receiver back in its cradle, and for the first time that day, she felt that everything was going to be all right. Leo walked in from the kitchen.  
"Who was that?" he asked.  
"Phoebe. She's coming over for dinner tonight." Discreetly, Prue wiped away a stray tear.  
"You okay?" Leo frowned with worry.  
"Yeah," Prue answered, and then she followed that with a more emphatic, "Yeah! Really, Leo, I'm fine. Is Piper around?"  
"She's gone shopping. She should be home soon."  
"How about Paige?"  
Leo shook his head. "I haven't seen her since this morning. She might have gone with Piper."  
"It's okay. I have her cell phone number. I can call her."  
Leo cocked his head, staring at Prue with undisguised concern. "Everything all right?"  
Prue managed a wan smile. "I'm not sitting on the fence any more."  
Leo's eyes widened in hope, and his face broke into a wide, toothy grin; but then his grin faded. "Something's happened," he divined.  
"You could say that."  
"Something bad."  
"I honestly don't know yet, but - I think so, yes."  
"It's why Andy and Darryl were here this morning?"  
"Yeah."  
"How can I help?"  
Prue forced herself to smile. "Tell Piper that we're having Chinese take-out tonight, and that Phoebe and Andy are coming over."  
"Will do. Anything else?"  
Prue fixed Leo with an unexpectedly tender look. "Get ready to make your best sales pitch, guardian angel," she admonished him. "Because tonight, I'm dragging this family back into the world of magic - kicking and screaming, if I have to."  
"That's a good thing, Prue."  
"I sure hope so."  
"Trust me. It's not a decision you'll regret."  
"Yeah, well, don't expect it to all go down without a lot of fireworks. And I have a feeling Piper is gonna need a lot of TLC and sympathy from you tonight."  
"I've got it covered," Leo assured her solemnly.  
Prue gave Leo her most radiant smile. "You really are an angel," she declared.  
Leo smiled somberly. "Maybe one day."

* * * 

Darryl Morris had all but given up on filling out his report. He'd had no time yet to corroborate his story with Andy, and he absolutely no intention of committing anything to paper without first having the backing testimony of his partner. He was about to fling the paper back on his desk in disgust when a lean, wiry man with close-cropped hair approached him with a toothy smile.  
"Inspector Morris. You're a hard man to find," he said. "I wanted to ask you about an incident you were involved with this morning."  
Darryl regarded the man briefly. He was thirtyish, handsome enough, but there seemed to be a cruel glint in his eyes that dampened his affability.  
"Sorry, who are you?" Darryl asked suspiciously.  
The man grinned self-effacingly, but the glint in his eyes had lost none of its hardness. "Sorry," he apologized. "I forget to introduce myself sometimes. I'm the new assistant district attorney. The name's Turner." He held out a hand in greeting. "Cole Turner."


	2. Earth

The late afternoon sky was mostly clear and sunny, but the frigid morning rain had left its unseasonable chill behind; even for San Francisco, the air was simply cold - bone-chilling, face-numbing, antiseptic cold, more appropriate for a Midwestern winter than for an early summer day in the city by the bay. In the attic of Halliwell manor, Prue shivered even though she was wearing one of her warmest sweaters and her heaviest pair of jeans. She was standing in the middle of the mostly emptied space, awaiting the arrival of her baby sister Phoebe. Fortunately, the wait was not a long one.  
A light rush of wind assured Prue that her sister's arrival was imminent. She looked towards the spot where the breeze seemed strongest; and after a moment, a shimmering seemed to warp the very air itself. Slowly, almost lazily, a vortex ringed by dark purple vapor trails formed, and a moment later, Phoebe Halliwell stepped through the void, carrying a medium-sized light blue suitcase. She grinned at the sight of her big sister, set the suitcase down, and hurried into her sister's arms for a welcoming hug. After a moment, the vortex behind Phoebe disappeared, as if it had never been there.  
"Pheebs." Dark-haired Prue encircled her sister in her arms and hugged her with surprising force. Phoebe accepted the embrace willingly.  
"Hey, Prue. Good to see you."  
Prue held onto Phoebe for several long moments, as if to assure herself that her sister was real. Even when she finally released her, her hand slid downwards to clasp Phoebe's hand in her own, and she squeezed it tightly.  
"That was quite a welcome," Phoebe grinned.  
"I'm just happy to see you," Prue grinned back. "I like what you've done to your hair."  
Phoebe had let her auburn locks grow out, now just past shoulder length, and had also liberally lightened them, making her more blonde than brunette.  
"Thanks. I like it. Thought it was time for a more sophisticated look. I like your hair long like that too."  
Suddenly aware of the temperature, Phoebe shivered. "Good God, it's cold up here."  
"The attic's not insulated," Prue reminded her. "You should feel what it's like outside."  
"It _is_ summer, right? I didn't skip a season, or anything?"  
"It's supposed to be summer," Prue smiled. "Just doesn't feel like it."  
"All the same, maybe you should ask Leo to put some insulation up here," Phoebe suggested, looking around the large space. Noting the upholstered chairs and end tables circled around a throw rug at the close end of the room, she commented, "Looks like you've been spending a lot more time up here."  
"Well, _I_ have been," Prue admitted. "Our sisters, not so much."  
"So, what's going on? Why the S.O.S.?"  
"Come on down into the kitchen. I'll make some tea and share all the news."  
The sisters descended the stairwell, and Phoebe couldn't help but grin at the sight of her old home, barely changed from when she'd left.  
"Where's everybody else?" Phoebe asked.  
"Piper and Paige are at the market. They should be home soon. Leo's around somewhere, unless he had to go check up on one of his charges. But we're having everybody over for dinner tonight - all the sisters, plus Leo and Andy. I hope you don't mind Chinese take-out."  
"Dim Sum?" Phoebe asked hopefully.  
Prue grinned. "I ordered extra Napa cabbage rolls, just for you."  
"I love you," Phoebe giggled.  
The kitchen was warmer than the rest of the house, although still much colder than usual. Prue set the teakettle on one of the burners and turned it up to high. Phoebe parked herself on one of the barstools next to the kitchen island, but she left her jacket on.  
"So, how have you been?" Phoebe asked quietly. The question was intentionally neutral, to leave the door open for anything Prue wanted to discuss.  
"Good," Prue nodded earnestly. "In fact, great. Everything's been quiet, I've been able to leave work on time for a change, spending a lot more time with Andy, spending quality time with my sisters -"  
"You and Andy are getting serious?"  
Prue let her gaze drift downwards, suddenly shy. "Yeah. I guess you could say that." Her dusky voice softened and warmed at the thought of her lover.  
"That's awesome, Prue."  
"I think so, too." Prue looked up again, and her radiant smile was warmer than the kitchen.  
"And Piper and Leo?"  
"Even more serious than me and Andy," Prue grinned. "I give it fourteen months, tops, before you and I are aunties."  
Phoebe's mouth dropped open in delight. "Really."  
"Well, that's what I'm betting on, anyway."  
"How about Paige?"  
"She seems to be settling in all right. She spends too much time at work, but when we see her, she's fine. She wants to know all about her birth family, so we've spent a lot of time going over old photo albums, showing her pictures of mom and stuff."  
"Sounds like life is perfect."  
"For the most part, yeah." Prue's smile dimmed slightly. "Piper is still pissed at you."  
"Well, what am I supposed to do, Prue?" Phoebe asked helplessly.  
"You're doing it, and that's what I told Piper," Prue assured her. "I had a little sisterly talk with her this morning. Just trying to help smooth down the ruffled feathers. Okay, for tea, we have green with lemongrass, orange pekoe, peppermint, chamomile or black."  
"Green, please."  
"Coming up." Prue got out an attractive ceramic teapot, dropped two spoonfuls of crushed tea leaves into the strainer, closed the cover and set it inside the pot. The kettle was starting to gurgle loudly, signaling a boiling whistle was not far off.  
"Is there something else I should be doing?" Phoebe fretted.  
Prue shook her head. "You come visit us every chance you get. I can't ask for more than that."  
"Yeah, but could you?" Phoebe asked her sister in all seriousness. "Are _we_ good? I mean, you and me."  
Prue smiled, walked over to where her sister was perched and gave her another fierce hug. "Yes. We're good," she assured her in a voice that was almost a whisper. "Promise."  
To seal the assurance, Prue left a quick peck on Phoebe's cheek, before rushing back to the stove, to retrieve the tea kettle that was now whistling loudly. Prue turned off the gas, and set the kettle on a spare burner.  
Phoebe, dumbfounded at her sister's uncharacteristic display of affection, stroked her cheek where Prue had just kissed her. Prue carefully poured boiling water from the kettle into the teapot, set on the ceramic lid, and then fetched two large mugs from the cupboard.  
"So, what's the deal, Prue?" Phoebe asked, when her tea mug was at last handed to her. "I got a sense that something really urgent came up."  
"Yeah," Prue admitted, taking up her own mug. "Something has. Let's go sit in the living room, and I'll spill all the beans."  
After they had settled themselves into chairs, Prue steepled her hands and sighed deeply before beginning.  
"First, you should know that dinner tonight is probably going to come with some drama," she confessed. "I've decided I'm going to take my magical powers back. But to do that, Piper and Paige have to take theirs back, too. And - I'm going to kind of force it on them, and I'm not expecting that to go over well."  
Phoebe did her level best to keep her expression and posture completely neutral. "I thought you liked not being a witch," she offered.  
"I did. I mean, I do. I - well, sometimes I missed it, but not that often."  
"But now you feel differently."  
"There's a new demon out there," Prue said quietly. "Something stronger than any we've ever faced."  
"Did he attack you?" Phoebe asked, unable to hide her alarm.  
"No, no, nothing like that," Prue assured her sister hastily. "In fact, demon activity has been mostly nonexistent ever since Piper, Paige and I gave up our powers. It's been almost _too_ quiet."  
"No one's had any trouble with any demon. At all? That's a little weird, isn't it?"  
"I'd go beyond weird," Prue nodded. "I would even say, suspicious."  
"So how did you find out about this new demon?"  
"Andy and Darryl saw him. He was apparently murdering another demon. Strangling him with his bare hands and setting his body on fire."  
"Oh, my God," Phoebe shuddered.  
"He vanished, before they could try to apprehend him. Probably a good thing. I went with Andy and Darryl to visit the scene earlier today - and while we were there, I sensed something just totally evil. It made me sick, even to scry for it."  
Prue took a long sip of her tea before continuing. "Anyway - I don't know why, but that just set my creep-o-meter on red alert. Andy and Darryl saw something they shouldn't have, and with other demon activity being zero up to now, I -"  
She sighed in frustration and looked at her sister pleadingly. "Am I just being paranoid?"  
"I think you and I both know, there's no such thing as paranoia where demons are concerned," Phoebe said carefully. "They really are out to kill us."  
"Exactly," Prue nodded vigorously. "And why would they all just slink away, at precisely the moment when we gave up our powers? Until today, you wouldn't even know there was any magic in San Francisco at all."  
"You're right. Something's going on," Phoebe decided.  
Prue sighed with relief. "Thank God. I thought maybe I was going nuts."  
"So, what do you want to do?"  
Before Prue could answer Phoebe's question, the front door opened, and in traipsed Piper and Paige, their arms laden with grocery bags overflowing with fresh produce.  
"I'm just saying, take a risk," Piper was admonishing her new baby sister. "You can't stay on the sidelines your whole life, just because you're afraid you might get hurt..."  
"Piper! Paige!" Phoebe exclaimed joyfully, launching herself out of her seat, and hurrying to the foyer to greet her sisters.  
Piper stared at Phoebe open-mouthed. "Oh, my God, you're _blonde,"_ she exclaimed, apparently dismayed at the change in Phoebe's coiffure.  
Undeterred, Phoebe gave her big sister a tight hug and kiss on the cheek. "Yeah, nice to see you too, Piper," she grinned.  
She turned to Paige next, giving her the same greeting. "Looking good, Phoebe," Paige said, leaving an answering peck on Phoebe's cheek. "Glamour?"  
"Day of beauty at the salon with your other self," Phoebe laughed. She reached for one of the bags that was threatening to slip from Paige's fingers. "Here, let me help you with that."  
"Thanks."  
"Well, aren't you two the walking cornucopia," Prue commented, smiling, as she helped relieve Piper of one of her bags.  
"There was a lot of good stuff at the market today," Paige assured her sisters. "Piper's gonna make a berry cobbler for later."  
"Ooh, sounds yummy!"  
The four sisters gravitated into the kitchen, where they set all the bags on the island counter. Prue graciously collected the coats and hung them on the pegs near the front door.  
"What are you doing here, Phoebe?" Piper asked. "I thought you were coming out to visit next week."  
"I invited her," Prue answered, coming back into the kitchen. "I just thought it would be nice to have all four sisters at the dinner table tonight."  
"Prue, that's not fair, I haven't had time to prepare anything," Piper protested.  
"Relax, sis. You're not on the hook for the evening meal. I'm ordering Chinese platters for us from Qi's. But - if you wanted to make that berry cobbler for dessert, I don't think anybody would object." She smiled disarmingly, but Piper wasn't mollified yet.  
"Is Leo included?" she asked.  
"Sure, as long as you don't mind if Andy joins us too."  
"Okay then," Piper consented.  
Impulsively, Phoebe came up behind Piper and wrapped her in an impressive bear hug.  
"What are you, a limpet?" Piper demanded.  
"I'm just happy to see you," Phoebe murmured, and then gave her sister a quick kiss on the cheek before releasing her.  
Piper seemed slightly annoyed by the gesture, but she couldn't help catching Prue's glance, which clearly said: _remember what we talked about._ Shaking her head, Piper started to empty all the bags on the counter.  
"Okay, you guys, all of you, shoo!" She waved them off. "Give me some room to work here."  
"Let me help," Paige pleaded, and began to empty some of the remaining bags.  
Prue took Phoebe's hand. "Come on, let's leave them to it," she suggested. They walked back to the living room, settled themselves and took up their teacups once again.  
"You're right," Phoebe sighed. "There's gonna be drama this evening." She took a long sip from her cup.  
"I'm sorry, Pheebs. I really didn't want to drag you into this. But I need you."  
"I'm not sorry, Prue. I'm really glad you want me here." Phoebe smiled somberly. "I just wish Piper felt the same."  
"Just keep doing what you're doing. She'll come around."  
"When are you going to spring your big announcement?"  
"I'm not sure," Prue admitted. "It has to be tonight. I thought, maybe after dinner, when everyone is half-asleep."  
"They might take the news better on a full stomach?"  
"Well ... that's what I'm hoping."  
Phoebe smiled warmly at her sister. "I'm so happy you want to be a witch again."  
"Honestly, until a couple of hours ago, I wasn't sure myself," Prue said, taking a quick sip from her teacup.  
"Did something happen?" Phoebe asked.  
Prue nodded solemnly. "Yeah. But it's easier to show you, than to try to explain. When I drop the witch bomb tonight, I'll show everyone what changed my mind. Hopefully, it will change their minds, too."  
"I can't wait," Phoebe grinned.  
"I wish I could say the same." Prue's smile was tinged with sadness. "I'm relieved at least one sister thinks this is good news. I'm not sure how Piper and Paige are gonna take it." She sighed heavily, and set down her teacup. "I suppose I should get my room ready for you," she said.  
"Prue, you don't need to give up your bedroom for me," Phoebe protested. "I'm just staying a couple of days. I can park down here on the couch for that long."  
"Are you sure?" Prue fretted.  
"Absolutely. I want to wake up tomorrow morning with all my sisters in the house." She grinned. "Besides, I want to see how you and Andy do your cuddle thing in the mornings. I'll bet it's cute."  
Prue made a playful face at her baby sister. "Phoebe Halliwell, you are incorrigible," she declared solemnly.

* * *

Andy Trudeau had returned to his office desk, mildly surprised to see that Darryl wasn't in the seat across from his. He glanced around the busy room, but his partner was nowhere to be seen. Frowning in puzzlement, he collected his jacket and car keys, and made for the exit.  
As he approached the elevators, Darryl came over to greet him.  
"Hey, Morris. Thought I was going to have to call you from the car to see if you need a ride home." He regarded his friend's worried expression with concern. "Everything all right?"  
"Have you met with the new ADA yet?"  
"No. We have a new one? _Another_ one?"  
The bell above the elevator chimed and the doors slid open. "You want to ride down with me?"  
Darryl nodded tersely. Andy and Darryl entered the cage together, and Andy pushed the button for the parking garage. They were alone.  
"So, what's going on?" Andy cast a worried glance at Darryl.  
"The new ADA was asking me some pretty pointed questions about our demon run-in this morning."  
Andy felt the pit dropping out of his stomach. "How pointed?"  
"Well... he knows what we saw. Like he'd been there himself."  
"What? Did you tell him anything?"  
"I didn't say jack. But he knows, Andy. I don't know how he knows, or why he's interested, but he knows all about our friend in the alley. And that makes me more than a little jittery."  
"Yeah, you and me both. What's his name?"  
"Turner. Cole Turner."  
Andy shook his head; the name was unfamiliar to him.  
"I had a chance to pull his record," Darryl confided. "As far as I can tell, he's legit. He came highly recommended from some big hotshot firm back east. He's only been here in town a little less than two months, got himself attached to the DA's office, God knows how he managed that. Scuttlebutt is, he's an asshole, but he knows his stuff."  
"And apparently that includes demonology?" Andy frowned. "And he wasn't anywhere near that alley, we would have seen him. Maybe he had surveillance going on there - or on us?"  
Darryl shrugged. "I doubt it's entrapment, he could be a lot more subtle about it if that were the case. But whatever his interest, it doesn't sit right."  
"No, it doesn't," Andy agreed.  
"I stonewalled him, because you and I need to get our story straight. But there's something else."  
"What is it?"  
"He also knows we went back to the alley later, with Prue. And he wanted to know what she was doing there, and what her involvement is."  
Andy took in a sharp breath. "Damn."  
"Yeah."  
The elevator doors slid open, and the men found themselves in the echoing space of the underground parking garage.  
"I'm going to meet Prue and her sisters at her place for dinner tonight," Andy said, as they stepped out of the elevator cage. "Maybe you should join us."  
Darryl shook his head. "I got issues at home I need to deal with."  
"You sure?"  
"Yeah."  
Sighing, Andy fumbled for his car keys. "Okay. I'll drop you off at your place on my way over." He looked Darryl in the eye. "You know, if there's anything I can do -"  
Darryl cut him off. "Yeah. I know. Thanks."  
Andy hesitated for a moment, considering, then took a key off the ring and handed it to Darryl.  
"Look. I'm staying at Prue's tonight. Demon hunting DAs or no, you need a place to crash, or just get away, feel free to use my place."  
"I appreciate that, Andy, but you really don't need to -"  
"Take it," Andy insisted. "Just in case."  
After a moment, Darryl relented, and pocketed the key. "Thanks, partner."  
"Don't mention it." Andy managed a smile, despite the grim worry churning in his stomach. "And yeah, before I drop you off, let's decide what the public version of our story is. At least, until we can learn some more about this Turner guy."  
"He's playing at something," Darryl insisted. "If he was at the crime scene, or nearby, he's not willing to admit to that."  
"So, for reasons of his own, he wants to keep this quiet, too. And he wants to know what we know."  
"Pretty much," Darryl nodded grimly.  
They reached Andy's sedan, and after Andy unlocked the vehicle, the two men entered the car from opposite sides and buckled themselves in.  
"Was there anything on who called in the 10-15 to the dispatcher?"  
"The standard anonymous tip. Called in from - get this - a pay phone."  
"They still have those?" Andy said incredulously.  
"Here's the thing, though. That pay phone isn't anywhere near that alley."  
"Which means the caller knew what was going to go down, before it happened."  
"Sure looks that way."  
Andy turned the key in the ignition, and checked his mirrors before backing out of the parking space. Once they exited the garage, and were traveling along the street, Andy sighed.  
"Okay. So there's at least two people who know about this business besides us. Mr. Mysterious Turner, and some anonymous caller."  
"We're assuming those are two separate people," Darryl reminded his partner.  
"I think that's the safe bet for now. If our ADA knew about this little demon deal earlier, you'd think he'd have tried something to stop it."  
"Maybe he didn't want to stop it. Maybe he's part of it, somehow."  
Andy pursed his lips. "You know, I like mysteries," he said after a time. "I just don't like them when you and I are at the center of them. Or Prue."  
"I hear that," Darryl nodded in solemn agreement.  
"All right. How about this. Sunday morning, I swing by to pick you up, and we spend whatever time we need finding out all about our new ADA. If he's legit, then we tell him what we saw, straight up. Let it be his headache."  
"And if he's not?"  
Andy sighed deeply. "Then you and I have got some serious problems, partner."

* * *

Although the skies had cleared, the San Francisco summer evening settled in with decidedly unseasonal chill in the air, and the Halliwell sisters were obliged to leave the radiators on to keep the house comfortable. Shortly before dinnertime, Prue Halliwell slipped away for a few moments to return to the attic, and bring the Book of Shadows downstairs. She tucked the massive grimoire onto the lower shelf of one of the end tables in the living room, where she could reach it easily, but wouldn't be immediately noticed. As she was straightening up, Leo came into the room.  
"Hey, Leo," Prue greeted him warmly. "Everything set for tonight?"  
"Dinner's ordered, it should be here in about forty minutes."  
"You're an angel. Thank you." She cast a surreptitious glance in the direction of the kitchen, then took Leo by the arm.  
"One thing," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I'm kind of expecting for things to get ugly tonight. I'd appreciate it if you'd give Piper some moral support."  
"Even if it goes against you?" Leo's question was only half-joking.  
Prue managed a somber smile. "If you expect to marry my sister one day, then you need to support her."  
Leo's eyes went wide, with both surprise and delight.  
"All I want from my brother-in-law is to know he's got my sister's back," Prue added. "You do that, you'll have no problems with me."  
"You think Piper and I -"  
Prue's grin widened to something warmer and less restrained. "Hey. That's entirely up to you guys," she said. "But - you've got my vote, guardian angel."  
"Thanks, Prue. That means a lot."  
"Anyway, if Piper decides she doesn't want to have any part of this, don't argue with her - at least, not right now. Just give her all the TLC and support she needs. I'm gonna break my promise to my sisters tonight. They're going to be pissed off. They have a right to be pissed off," she added sadly.  
"Consider it done. What about Paige?"  
Prue sighed. "I'm hoping that's where Phoebe comes in. She's lived with Paige's other self for the last six months, and yes, I know technically they're not the same person, but - I'm hoping Phoebe can reach her, in ways that you and I never could."  
"I hope you're right, Prue."  
"I'm going to try my best to keep things calm tonight, but there's no way my sisters are gonna like what I have to say."  
"I'll do whatever I can to help. You know that."  
"I do," Prue smiled at him. "And I'm more grateful than I can tell you."  
The doorbell rang and Prue looked around in dismay. "Is that Andy already?"  
"You did tell him to be here after five," Leo pointed out.  
Prue shook her head in disbelief. "Where did the day go?" she sighed. "I haven't had time to fix my hair, or put on fresh lipstick, or anything."  
"I'm pretty sure he won't mind, Prue."  
"No, but I do." But there was no time to change anything, so Prue hurried to the door to let her boyfriend enter, then pulled him close and kissed him passionately. He returned both the kiss and the embrace willingly.  
"Remember your toothbrush?" she whispered playfully.  
But Andy's mind was on other things. "Prue, we need to talk privately," he said, genuinely regretting that he had to spoil the moment. But Prue took it in stride.  
"Come on into the living room," she said. "We'll have about three and a half minutes before my sisters barge in on us."  
They stepped into the living room, and Andy launched into his message without preamble.  
"We have a problem. The new ADA is aware that Morris and I had a demonic encounter this morning. And he also knows that we brought you to the crime scene."  
_"What?!"_ Prue was aghast.  
"I don't know how he found out, or why he's investigating. Morris and I are going to do some digging first thing tomorrow morning, see what we can find out. His name is Cole Turner."  
"Never heard of him."  
"Yeah, me either. Haven't met him yet, either. But Morris has. Says he's an asshole."  
"Well, he's a lawyer, Andy, of course he is."  
"Anyway, I wanted you to know."  
"Thanks." She sighed with exasperation. "This isn't getting any easier, is it?"  
"I don't know," Andy managed a smile. "Now that I know what you and your sisters are dealing with, it's going to be a lot easier for me to help you. And protect you."  
Impulsively, Prue pulled him close and kissed him again; this time, Andy's response was far more passionate. When they finally separated, Prue smiled happily.  
"That's more like it," she purred. "I'll be expecting a lot more of those kind of kisses later on, mister."  
"Yes, ma'am."  
"We're going to have some drama here tonight too, I'm afraid."  
"What's up?"  
"I'm telling my sisters that we're going back into the witchy business."  
Before Prue could elaborate, Phoebe came bounding into the room.  
"Andy!" She hurried over to the detective and gave him an exuberant hug. "Good to see you."  
"Hey, Phoebe. Been a while."  
"Too long," Phoebe agreed, releasing him. "You're taking good care of my sister, right?"  
"Doing my best."  
"He's doing an excellent job," Prue assured Phoebe.  
Piper walked into the living room, followed closely by Paige and Leo. "Hey, Andy," she greeted him. "Glad you could join us."  
"Thanks for having me."  
Dinner was an intentionally informal affair, with everyone passing little white cartons around the table. Andy understood that the Halliwell house was now alcohol-free for Paige's benefit, and graciously accepted the offer of hot green tea to go with his meal. Phoebe made it a point to keep the conversation focused away from the topic she knew Prue wanted to discuss later, and she regaled her sisters with pictures and stories of their niece Patience, and to a lesser extent of her life in the alternate universe. Occasionally Phoebe would glance over at Prue, to make sure everything was in order; Prue smiled back gratefully.  
Once the main meal had been cleared away, and one of Piper's two blackberry cobblers devoured, the sisters - along with Leo and Andy - retired to the living room, settling themselves into the chairs and the big upholstered couch. Prue could feel her heart pounding as she knew she had to approach a topic that her sisters would not want to talk about. Fortunately, everyone seemed in a decent mood, so she prayed her message would be received with slightly more tolerance.  
When there was a decent lapse in the small talk, she knew it was time. She tried and failed to keep from wringing her hands anxiously as she called for everyone's attention. She had no idea what she was going to say, or how she going to say it.  
_Give me strength,_ she prayed.  
"Hey, you guys, since we're all here, I have an announcement to make," she said, trying to keep her voice from shaking.  
Leo looked over at Prue. "Do you want Andy and me to step out?"  
Prue shook her head. "No. It's okay, Leo. I think you guys qualify as family at this point." Her smile, like her voice, was tremulous. Phoebe gave a reassuring smile and a quick bob of the head, indicating her support.  
Prue exhaled and then plunged in. "I wanted all of you to know I made a difficult decision about my life today. And it's a decision that's going to affect all of us." She paused.  
_Here we go. Over the cliff._  
"I'm going to take my magical powers back."  
Piper frowned, but not in anger or disapproval, more out of puzzlement. Paige's wide eyes grew a little wider.  
"I'm going to start practicing witchcraft again," Prue continued. "I've been turning this over in my mind for a long time now, and - while I know it can be difficult to accept - I truly believe it's the right thing to do."  
"But why, Prue?" Piper's tone was one of concern; she hadn't yet realized the implications of Prue's pronouncement. "I thought you hated being a witch."  
"There have been days when I did hate it," Prue admitted. "And, I'm willing to bet, there will be days in the future when I will regret accepting magic again. But - when I look at what I owe to my family, to myself, to the world - the one real regret I would have, is to walk away from a precious gift that would allow me to do so much, for myself and for everyone else."  
She looked around the room, and so far, everyone was simply listening. Phoebe was leaned forward expectantly in her seat, nodding her approval silently.  
"I need my sisters' blessing for this," Prue said. "Because I can't just re-activate my powers for myself alone. If I do this ... then you guys will get your powers back, too."  
Piper was instantly livid. "No. NO. Prue, you promised."  
"I know. And I am breaking that promise. And Piper, I am so sorry, but -"  
"No, Prue, _no,"_ Piper got to her feet, her voice rising in both pitch and volume with her anger. "I am _not_ putting myself out there to let demons start taking potshots at me. We agreed. I am NOT doing that again. Not now. Not ever."  
"Piper, please, hear me out," Prue pleaded. "Just listen to me for five minutes, okay?"  
"It's another damn demon, isn't it? Prue - there are demons everywhere, and they're going to be out there _all_ the time! And I don't want the job of keeping the world safe! That can be someone else's problem! Do you really think we haven't suffered enough already?"  
Phoebe glanced over at Paige. The youngest Halliwell sister hadn't said anything, but the blood was draining from her face.  
"Piper, this isn't about any demons, it's about us - and our lives."  
"The hell it isn't! I knew you were going to pull this kind of stunt sooner or later. As soon as the first demon reared its ugly head, you think we should all go charging in and deal with it. Well, guess what? I'm done dealing with it. I never wanted to be a supernatural police officer and corral the bad guys. It's my life, Prue. I get to choose what I want to do with it! Not some damn book, and certainly not you!"  
Phoebe reached for her sister's hand, but Piper angrily swatted it away. "Piper, please, just listen to her -"  
"You want to know what magic has done for me? It got my mother _killed!_ It sent my baby sister sailing off to some other damn universe, where I never get to see her! It _ruined_ my life! We had an _out,_ Prue. We had a chance to walk away. To be normal. And you really want to throw that away? Instead of being with our friends and families, you want us to spend all our time fighting demons? Are you out of your fucking _mind?!"_  
"Piper, calm down," Prue said evenly.  
"Calm down?" Piper's voice was close to a shriek now; Phoebe got up from her chair and forcibly took her sister's hand.  
"Sweetie, indoor voice," she murmured softly in Piper's ear. "Indoor voice."  
Piper stopped yelling, but she stood staring at Prue, shaking with cold rage.  
"I have all the same misgivings you have, Piper, really, I do," Prue continued, trying desperately to keep own roiling emotions in check. "I don't want a life filled with demons and warlocks and monsters any more than you do. I understand how you feel. I feel the same. So I went to the attic this afternoon, to pray for an answer. And I got an answer. And I want all of you to see the answer I got."  
She got up from her seat, walked over to the end table, and pulled out the Book of Shadows. She set it down on the coffee table.  
"When I went to pray, I asked for a sign that our lives wouldn't just be a series of endless sacrifices and fighting with evil spirits. I had to know that there would be something else, something good for my sisters - and for myself. Something that would make a life of magic worthwhile. And while I was praying, the Book of Shadows answered. Look."  
She placed her hand just above the quadquetra symbol, directing everyone's attention to it.  
"Four points. Four sisters. A family united, happy and whole."  
"Oh, wow," breathed Phoebe Halliwell. "It changed! How cool is _that?"_  
"This isn't about what we do, Piper, or even about our obligations to others. It's about who we are. As sisters. As individuals. As a family."  
Piper stared at the book blankly for a moment, then shook her head. "Makes no difference, Prue, I'm done with this."  
"Piper -"  
"This conversation's over," Piper declared, and stormed out of the room. A moment later, she could be heard stomping angrily up the stairs to her own room.  
Leo looked over at Prue, dismayed.  
"It's okay, Leo, go after her," Prue said.  
Without a word, Leo followed in Piper's wake; his own footfalls on the stairwell soft and sedate by comparison.  
Prue sighed. "Great. Just great," she muttered sourly.  
Phoebe settled herself on the couch beside Paige, who had apparently gone rigid with shock. Phoebe rubbed her back gently.  
"How about you, sweetie?" she asked in a coaxing voice. "We haven't heard from you yet. Time to weigh in."  
Paige looked over at Phoebe, huge tears welling in her soulful eyes. "I - I can't do this," she confessed haltingly. "I just can't. I'm sorry."  
She stood up and fled the room, chased by her own fear as much as Piper had been chased by her own anger.  
Prue sat back down on the couch, and dropped her head into her hands.  
"Okay. That didn't go as bad as I thought," Phoebe sighed.  
Andy stared at Phoebe in disbelief. "You're kidding, right?"  
"No, Andy, I'm serious. You don't know Piper like I do. That big banshee shriek was actually a good sign. She's gotten the worst of it out of her system already. It's Paige I'm worried about." She looked over at her big sister. "Prue, you okay?"  
Tearfully, Prue shook her head. "No."  
Phoebe gathered Prue into her arms and hugged her tightly. "Oh, sweetie, it's going to be all right," she murmured consolingly. "This was the first step. You got the bad news out."  
"I need to go talk to them -"  
"Prue, you've already talked to them," Phoebe pointed out. "You need to let them be now. Let them stew and simmer for a while. Once they've had some time to chew on it, we can all sit down and talk about it again, this time without all the yelling and screaming."  
Phoebe planted a kiss on her sister's cheek. "You did the right thing. It will hurt for a while, but in the end, they'll thank you for it."  
"I wish I could believe that," Prue sighed, wiping hot tears away from her cheek with the palm of her hand.  
"Hey. Trust your baby sister who sees the future. What you did today _saved_ our future. You saved us all, Prue. Just like you always do. Maybe you can't see it yet, but I promise you, it's true."  
Prue rested her head against Phoebe's shoulder, weeping. "I love you, Pheebs," she said brokenly.  
Phoebe kissed her sister again, hugging her tightly. "I love you, Prue," she murmured. "I love that you're always there for us, no matter what, and I am so blessed and so thankful to have you for my big sister."  
Phoebe held Prue tightly to her, while Andy placed a comforting hand on Prue's shoulder. She cried softly for a time, with choked, breathy sobs, and after a few moments, she finally straightened up, her emotional defenses rebuilt.  
"I really made a mess of this evening, didn't I?" she sighed mournfully, reaching for a tissue.  
"Yeah, well, we're not done yet," Phoebe cautioned.  
"We're not?"  
"I want you to take me to this alleyway, where you felt the evil presence."  
"What, you mean tonight? Right now?"  
"No better time," Phoebe pointed out. "We can't do anything for Paige and Piper right now. They need time to process. We'll want to be here when they're ready. But that won't be tonight. So it's time we find out what we're really up against."  
"You're not thinking of going back there?" Andy asked, and his tone suggested he was not in favor of the idea.  
"Andy, I'm still a witch, with all her powers intact," Phoebe said solemnly. "And right now I have the one power you need the most. I can see into the truth of things. If there's a demon out there, I can find it and name it. And naming the evil is always half the battle."

* * *

A short time later, Andy Trudeau's nondescript sedan pulled up on a deserted side street and parked at a mud stained curb. Inside the car, Andy shut off the car engine reluctantly.  
"You're sure you want to do this?" he asked, glancing towards the back seat at Phoebe.  
"We need answers, Andy. I can get them."  
"Okay." He clearly didn't like the situation, but he had no alternative to suggest. He unbuckled his seat belt and, after checking his mirror, opened the car door and exited. Prue and Phoebe did likewise.  
An icy breeze cut through the night air. Prue was wearing her warmest coat, and still shivered, but not just from the cold. Phoebe hunched herself up inside her hoodie.  
"Damn. It's freezing out here," she muttered. "Let's make this quick."  
"I agree completely," said Andy.  
"Which way?"  
"Half a block up, on the left."  
Andy led the way up the street and the two sisters followed, close at his heels.  
As they drew closer to the alleyway, Phoebe shuddered violently and halted mid-step.  
"You're feeling it too?" Prue looked at her sister anxiously.  
"You weren't kidding, Prue. This is bad," Phoebe said grimly.  
"You want to go on?"  
"We have to."  
Drawing herself upright, Phoebe took Prue's arm, and they marched up the street with grim determination. Once they arrived at the alley entrance, they stood for a moment, staring into the darkness.  
"Got a flashlight, Andy?" Prue asked.  
Andy Trudeau dug into his coat pocket, and moments later, produced a small but intensely bright flashlight. He aimed the beam down the alley. There seemed to be nothing but damp pavement. Yet the lingering trace of evil was so palpable that it was all Phoebe could do to stand upright. Prue looked at her sister, genuinely frightened for her welfare.  
"I'm okay," Phoebe gritted her teeth. "Let's do this."  
Hesitantly, they huddled closer together, and stepped into the inky darkness.  
When they were only a few feet from the scorch mark, Andy pointed the flashlight beam towards it.  
"That's the spot, Phoebe."  
Phoebe turned to her two companions.  
"Guys, if you want, I can project the images I see, and share them with you," she offered.  
"You can do that?" Prue asked in surprise.  
"My powers are a lot stronger, Prue. I can do things now I couldn't dream of six months ago."  
"You mean, you can see the demon, and we can see him too?"  
"I'll understand if you say no."  
"I need to see," Prue said, but not willingly.  
"Andy?"  
"Yeah. I need to see it too," he nodded. "I can give a positive ID, if it's the same - demon - we saw earlier." He stumbled over the word, still not quite able to admit the supernatural to himself.  
"Okay, then, we need to join hands," Phoebe said, holding her gloved hands out to Andy and Prue. "Prue, Andy, you need to join hands too, so we have a closed circle."  
They did as Phoebe asked.  
"Okay, you guys," Phoebe said, her voice low and darkened. "Brace yourselves."  
Phoebe closed her eyes for a moment, willing her powers to reach out and detect the residual magical energy that was flowing all around them - and as she did so, the alleyway was flooded with an eerie, spectral light, allowing them to see what the darkness and demonic forces kept shrouded. The alley looked much the same as it did before - with one notable exception. On either side of alley, posted at intervals approximately six feet apart, ten foot tall spikes had been hammered into the earth, running the entire length of the alley. At the top of each spike sat a bloodied, severed head, impaled on the sharp end like a totem, all in different stages of decay and putrefaction. Some of the heads had been there for a considerable time and were nothing more than whitened, bare skulls. Several had scorch marks, as if they had been burned. Most of the heads appeared to be human, but a handful of others clearly belonged to lesser demons, unable to take human form. The ones closest to them were the most recently added, and the head just across from them was still oozing gore down the side of the spike.  
"Oh, my God!" Prue shuddered with revulsion.  
"Are we seeing what's really here?" Andy asked, his voice low and choked.  
"For the first time. Yes," Phoebe answered.  
"I'm going to be sick," Prue said weakly.  
"Andy, is that your victim?" Phoebe pointed to the spike closest to them.  
Andy Trudeau swallowed hard and nodded. "Yeah."  
Phoebe gently squeezed Prue and Andy's hands. "We can open the circle now. The spell that was hiding this place has been broken."  
She turned and started to take a few hesitant steps in the direction of the nearest spike.  
"Phoebe, what are you doing?" Prue asked.  
"In order to know who our demon is, I have to touch something he touched."  
"Oh, God, Phoebe, _no -"_  
"It's okay, Prue. We have to know what we're dealing with."  
She pulled off one of her gloves, and reached out to let her fingertips graze the surface of the nearest spike, trying not to notice how badly her hands were shaking.  
As Phoebe's fingers made contact with the blood-soaked wood, a face presented itself to her mind. Bestial, but not beastly. Human, but not humane. The angry, feral snarl it displayed was nothing more than a facade - beneath that surface was a darkness, an emptiness, that could not be fathomed. A cold, calculating intellect, without the slightest trace of compassion, utterly indifferent to the suffering of human beings. A malevolent force as thick and suffocating as a blanket. Evil incarnate. Phoebe felt distinctly ill - and then felt her knees buckling underneath her.  
In a moment, Prue was at her side.  
"Phoebe? Phoebe?!" Prue called out her sister's name urgently, trying to stave off her rising panic.  
"Okay - I'm okay," Phoebe managed to gasp. "Oh, God. I saw it. I saw _him."_  
"Are you all right?" Prue insisted, as she helped Phoebe to her feet.  
"Yeah, I - it's -" she shuddered again, utterly revulsed. "Let's get out of here?" she pleaded.  
"Sounds like a plan to me," Andy agreed wholeheartedly, and let his outstretched arms gently shepherd the women away from the alley. He turned back for one quick glance at the spikes and the disembodied heads suspended atop them, and solemnly vowed he never wanted to see a sight like that again.

* * *

A short time later, Prue, Andy and Phoebe gathered in the attic of Halliwell manor, while Phoebe consulted the Book of Shadows.  
"Has this book gotten bigger?" Phoebe asked, as she flipped through the pages.  
"Concentrate, Phoebe," Prue admonished.  
"No, I'm serious, Prue. I think the book is bigger than when I left." She looked up for a minute. "Sure wish I could borrow this, so I could finish mine."  
"You're writing a grimoire?" Prue seemed utterly bemused by the idea.  
"Our other sisters don't have a Book of Shadows to help them," Phoebe explained. "So I'm writing one for them."  
Prue pulled up a chair next to her sister and sat down. "Seriously. You're writing a Book of Shadows."  
"Yup."  
"By yourself. By hand. In pen and ink."  
"Yup, yup and yup."  
"Phoebe, that's - amazing," Prue marveled.  
"Actually, it's really hand-cramping," Phoebe admitted. "I haven't figured out how to cast a spell to let the book take dictation from me yet."  
"What happened to the old one? I'm assuming they had one."  
"Gone. In the same battle that -" Phoebe halted abruptly, unable to continue. She pursed her lips. "They've lost so much, Prue. Their home. Their family. Their - center," she said somberly. "Until I came along, Paige and Prue didn't even have each other. They had no idea they had other sisters. They were all alone."  
"And you saved them," Prue reminded her sister with a subdued smile.  
"No," Phoebe shook her head. "They saved _me."_ She turned her attention back to the book with newfound resolve. "This could take hours," she muttered. "There has to be a better way."  
Phoebe put the book on the low-lying table in front of her, its pages opened at random, and raised her widespread hands, palms facing down, about a foot above the paper.  
"Book of magic, hear my plea, show me the face I need to see," she intoned in a voice not much above a whisper.  
Obligingly, the pages of the book started turning by themselves. Andy took a step back, staring in bug-eyed amazement. After a moment, the book settled on a page and fell still.  
"That's better," Phoebe sighed happily. "Thank you!"  
She leaned forward to read the text. _"Belthazor: A soldier of fortune, powerful and dangerous, he has destroyed countless witches, innocents, and other demons,"_ Phoebe read aloud. _"As sinister as he is intelligent, he is not to be trusted."_ She swallowed hard before reading the last lines: _"There is no known way to defeat him. Belthazor should be avoided at all costs."_  
Phoebe looked at Prue, unable to hide her fright. Prue in her turn was unable to hide her dismay.  
"That's _it?"_ she exclaimed. "No spell? No incantation? No potion? _Nothing?"_  
Andy had managed to work up enough courage to stand close enough to the book to lean over and see what was written on the page. He grimaced at the illustration.  
"That's him," he shuddered.  
"You're sure?" Prue asked, hoping against hope there'd been a mistake. Andy shook his head.  
"No mistaking that face. He's one ugly son of a bitch."  
"That's what I saw in my vision too," Phoebe confirmed sadly.  
"Damn it!" Prue swore in frustration. _"Now_ what are we supposed to do?"  
"We carry on as we planned," Phoebe said. "We get our sisters to agree to receive their powers again. And then we use the power of four to vanquish this bastard."  
"Yeah, because so far that plan is working out so well."  
Phoebe reached for her sister's hand and squeezed it gently. "Hey," she said softly. "Nobody said this would be easy. Just that it would be worthwhile. You're not alone in this, Prue. We just need to help Paige and Piper see what they need to see, and then everything will be fine. It's gonna all work out okay. You'll see."  
Prue smiled grimly. "Another vision of the future?"  
Phoebe's smile was reassuring. "I don't need visions to know, the four of us together can handle anything."  
Prue expression softened, and she gently squeezed Phoebe's hand in return. "I've really missed you," she said quietly.  
"Yeah. I've missed you too."  
Impulsively, Phoebe leaned over and hugged Prue tightly. The sisters held each other for a long moment, each simply grateful for the presence of each other. When they finally separated, smiling at each other, the once frayed bond between them was now entirely healed.  
"Okay," Phoebe announced, standing up, "Time for me to go check on Paige. And give my newest baby sister a little TLC. And yes, _that_ was a premonition." She grinned.  
She gave Andy a quick hug before heading for the attic door. "Good night, you two," she called back over her shoulder as she left. "And get some sleep. Tomorrow's gonna be a big day."  
Andy stared after Phoebe, shaking his head, dumbfounded. "She's something else, isn't she?"  
"Some days, she drives me insane. Other days, she's the one true blessing of my life," Prue murmured. She shrugged helplessly. "She's my sister."  
She looked up at Andy and smiled. "Ready for bed?"  
"What time is it, anyway?"  
Prue consulted her watch. "Ten minutes to two. In the morning," she shuddered.  
Wearily, she stood up, and settled herself into Andy's welcoming arms. "One thing we absolutely have to change," she declared. "This demon hunting thing is really cutting into our sex time. And that is totally unacceptable."  
"You won't get any arguments from me on that one."  
Prue rested her head against Andy's chest and closed her eyes, in genuine danger of falling asleep standing up.  
"Andy? Do you ever think about having kids?"  
"You know I do."  
"Do you ever think about having them - with me?"  
She pulled away just enough so she could look into her lover's eyes. Despite his fatigue, he seemed delighted at the suggestion.  
"Does that mean you're thinking about having kids with me?" he asked in turn.  
"I think - I'm ready to start talking about it," Prue nodded thoughtfully. "That is - on some night when we've had more than four hours of sleep," she amended.  
Andy chuckled softly. "That's fair."  
Prue gave him a look that somehow managed to be completely lustful and unexpectedly tender all at once.  
"Fuck, then fall asleep?" she suggested shyly.  
"Best offer I've had all day," said Andy Trudeau.  
They shared a passionate kiss; then, arm in arm, the lovers slowly made their way to Prue's bedroom.

* * *

Phoebe crept up to the door of the room that until recently used to be hers. Seeing a light from under the door frame, Phoebe knocked softly.  
"Paige?" she called out in a voice barely above a whisper. "Sweetie? It's me, it's Phoebe."  
There was no answer. Phoebe hesitated for a moment, then put her hand on the doorknob and pushed the door open a crack.  
Paige was laying across the bed, silently weeping.  
"Oh, sweetie," Phoebe murmured, letting herself into the room and closing the door behind her. She clambered onto the bed, spooning her sister from behind.  
"Why don't you tell me what you're afraid of," she whispered, gently stroking Paige's flame-red hair.  
"Don't make me hear the voices again," Paige sobbed, huge tears spilling down her cheeks. "I can't deal with that again. Please don't make me."  
"Oh, honey," Phoebe sighed, pulling Paige close to her and hugging her. "You're really scared, aren't you?"  
"I'm sorry. I can't do this, I just can't."  
Phoebe kissed her sister's cheek. "If it hurts you that much, Paige, then we won't do it."  
"But won't the demon kill us all if we don't?"  
"Sweetie, the demons always want to kill good people. It's what they do. It's what they are."  
"Then what are we gonna do?"  
"You and I are gonna cuddle until you fall asleep," Phoebe assured her solemnly. "And then, tomorrow, we'll all sit down together and figure something out."  
"But -"  
"Hush," Phoebe admonished her baby sister. "Don't you worry about a thing. Your big sisters are gonna take care of it. And we aren't going to let anything bad happen to you. Not ever. I promise."  
Phoebe sealed her promise with another kiss on Paige's cheek, then settled down beside her to wait. Paige closed her eyes, and after taking a couple of deep, calming breaths, began to relax. Phoebe held her close and closed her own eyes. In moments, they were both fast asleep.

* * *

The demon in human form limped down to the end of a long alleyway, dragging one bad leg behind it like an anchor. Badly injured, unable to take another form, it desperately sought an escape, with only pitifully weak hands and arms and legs to use in that endeavor. It made no difference, as the alley was a dead end, a pitiless cul-de-sac of concrete and brick. The demon turned and cowered, as the one who hunted it strode relentlessly forward, assured of the kill.  
Belthazor, his skin ruby-red, came to a halt and stood over his sniveling prey.  
"You really thought you could run from me?" he asked. "That you could hide somewhere, anywhere, where I could not find you?"  
"Mercy, great one, mercy -"  
"Be silent," Belthazor almost spat the words. "You are a disgrace to all your kind."  
"You murdered my brother," the demon howled piteously.  
"I gave your brother a swift and painless death. He was not deserving of it."  
"We only act as our nature directs!" The demon was almost shouting, as if a raised voice would somehow strengthen his argument. "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law!"  
"Oh, yes," Belthazor's response dripped with utter contempt. "Our first rule. The problem is, what you and your family have done, could deny us all that destiny!"  
"The witches are no longer Charmed, they cannot harm us," the demon retorted.  
"No, but thanks to your brother, the eldest is suspicious of us now," Belthazor roared. "And where she leads, the others follow! And what do you think happens to us, if the witches take their powers back?"  
Belthazor crouched down beside the other in an almost casual movement. "We could have had our creed fulfilled," he said, in a quieter voice. "This city, this country, this _world_ could be ours for the taking. And all we had to do ... is wait."  
"It can still happen," the demon gibbered, realizing it had but moments of life left.  
"Yes, it can still happen," Belthazor agreed, with a somber nod of the head. "But not with such as you left alive. Like your brother, an example must be made of you."  
Belthazor reached down, and placed one giant hand on the demon's shoulder. The demon began to shriek in terror, but the screams were abruptly ended as Belthazor simply reached out with his other hand - and with one savage yank, separated the demon's head from its body. The dangling corpse was freed from the head by snapping the spine just below the skull.  
Belthazor held up the now lifeless face a few inches from his own, and he grinned at it, amused by the mottling and bruising he had caused to its features.  
"Our safest course now is silence," he said, talking to the head as if it still embodied a consciousness. He put a blood-soaked finger to its lips as if to shush it.  
"Shh."  
With a wave of his hand, the corpse was engulfed in a brief flash of demonic flame; Belthazor kept the head, a look of grim satisfaction on his face. He turned away, holding his prize by the hair, and melted into the shadows as if he were one with them.


	3. Wind

Sunday morning in San Francisco began with a lingering chill from the night before, but the unusually clear skies promised a much warmer and far more temperate early summer day. Inside the Halliwell manor, the hour was growing disgracefully late; but while everyone was more or less awake, no one was stirring, or seemed to have any inclination to do so.  
Phoebe, having fallen asleep in Paige's room, awoke to find her baby sister smiling at her from across the next pillow; laying side-by-side facing each other, they commenced to trade sisterly secrets in furtive whispers and giggling softly, like a pair of eight year olds at their first slumber party.  
In the next room, Piper had channeled all her anger and frustration from the previous evening into a passionate lovemaking session with her guardian angel that had lasted nearly until dawn; the lovers had slept, briefly, but now both were awake, eyes closed, Leo protectively spooning Piper's smaller body with his own, and they had arrived at a near zen-like state where they were utterly content to simply be - not talking, not thinking, just breathing and each genuinely grateful for the gift of the other.  
In Prue Halliwell's room, another pair of lovers were happily spending themselves. Before going to bed the night before, Prue and Andy's lovemaking had been exhausted and perfunctory; this morning, their desire to please and enjoy one another was rekindled, and they had to make an effort to keep their joyful coupling quiet, so as not to disturb the rest of the household.  
When they had finished, Andy obligingly rolled over onto his back, and let Prue snuggle herself on top of him. Sighing happily, she rested her head against his chest, and he brought up his hands to massage her back, tiny droplets of sweat trailing from his fingertips where he caressed her.  
"I don't want to go to church today," Prue confessed, in a voice barely above a whisper. "I don't want to deal with sisters, or monsters, or demons or anything else. I just want to stay here all day. With you."  
"I think we're too late for the service anyway," Andy murmured.  
"That's a shame," Prue said, but she didn't mean it. She moaned softly with appreciation as Andy's gently probing fingers rubbed her aching shoulders.  
"That feels wonderful," she declared.  
"I could do a better job if I was on top," Andy suggested with a grin.  
"Not a chance," Prue declared. "I like you right where you are."  
The lovers' reverie was interrupted by the insistent warble of Andy's flip-phone.  
Prue grimaced in irritation. "I _swear_ I'm going to melt that thing down into a -"  
"Ah-ah. Don't think it," Andy cautioned, reaching for the device. "I know what you can do, when you turn on your evil eye. And I need this phone in working condition."  
Sighing resignedly, Prue put her head back down on Andy's chest, and intentionally refused to budge while he took the call. She shifted her weight slightly, to create gentle but insistent pressure on his groin; when Andy gave her a reproachful look, she merely responded with a wicked grin. Andy flipped open the phone and put it to his ear.  
"Hey, Morris," Andy answered. "I was going to -"  
He paused, listening to Darryl's information. Prue couldn't quite hear what Darryl was saying, but the edge in his voice was evident even through a tiny speaker wedged in her boyfriend's ear.  
"I'll be right down," Andy promised, and snapped the phone shut.  
"What's going on?" Prue asked, still unwilling to let Andy up.  
"The 'trophy case' in the alley has been spotted."  
"Well, yeah, Phoebe broke the spell last night."  
"But there's a new head in the collection. One that wasn't there, when we were there last night. Morris is going to be here in five minutes to pick us up."  
Prue muttered a string of impassioned curses underneath her breath, knowing they both had to get up - and deal with something demonic.  
"Maybe Piper was right," she said sourly, rolling off of Andy with extreme reluctance.  
Andy regarded her thoughtfully. "There's still time to change your mind, Prue."  
Prue's fury was clearly evident as she angrily slipped herself into a t-shirt and panties. But then she stopped, sighed heavily, and looked at Andy with a moue of resignation.  
"No," she said quietly. "Taking my powers back is the right thing to do. I know that. But it doesn't mean I always have to like it."  
"Believe me, I know what you're going through," Andy said, sitting up and pulling on his shorts. "Being a cop has its good days. But there are also a lot of really bad days - days when you wonder why you bother at all."  
"But we know why, don't we?" Prue said softly. "If nobody bothered, what would be the point of anything."  
For a moment, a look of profound sadness crossed her face. Andy pulled her close and hugged her tightly.  
"You really are amazing," he whispered in Prue's ear. "And somehow, every day, you manage to impress me even more."  
They shared a quick kiss.  
"Darryl's gonna have to put up with us all grimy and stinky," Prue pointed out.  
Andy grinned. "That's what he deserves, for interrupting my girlfriend's afterglow."  
Andy's gentle jibe broke through Prue's dark mood, and she smiled gratefully.  
"I love you, Andy Trudeau," she declared, kissing him again.  
They dressed quickly and hurried downstairs, where Prue scribbled a hasty note for her sisters saying she was going out with Andy and would be home soon, and tacked the message to the refrigerator door with a magnet.  
"Don't want to tell them what we're really up to?" Andy asked half-jokingly.  
"Phoebe will probably get a premonition off my note," Prue admitted, shrugging herself into her coat. "But she doesn't have a car, so she can't go chasing after us."

Darryl Morris was only too well aware he was likely waking his partner from a too-short slumber, and he had bagels and cups of fresh hot coffee waiting in the car. Andy and Prue each took one of the lidded cups gratefully as Darryl pulled the sedan away from the curb. Andy noted his partner's distinctly haggard appearance.  
"Did you even sleep?" he asked with concern.  
Darryl barely managed a shrug in reply, keeping his bloodshot eyes on the road.  
Prue watched him from the back seat, dismayed at her friend's evident suffering.  
"Darryl, Andy and I - well - we just want you to know, if there's anything we can do to help you, anything at all, just ask," she said haltingly.  
Darryl managed the briefest of glances in the rear view mirror to catch her eye.  
"Thanks, Prue." His gratitude was sincere, but his voice was flat and lifeless.  
"So, who called in this time?" Andy asked.  
"Nobody. Patrol officer found it, freaked out."  
"You'd better prepare yourself, Morris. It's not pretty."  
"You've seen it?"  
"Last night."  
"You went _back_ there?" Darryl's horrified grimace was the first sign of life they'd seen from him. "Man, are you _nuts?"_  
"We took Phoebe," Prue explained. "She broke the spell that was hiding the bodies. I mean, the heads."  
"Heads on pikes, Morris. And not all of them human," Andy cautioned.  
Darryl shook his head. "This job just keeps getting better and better."  
He pulled the car up alongside the curb. Unlike the previous evening, the street was no longer deserted. Now, at least a half dozen black-and-whites were positioned to barricade the alley, and several other unmarked sedans clustered around. A throng of uniformed and plainclothes officers were not only gathering in the alley, but also checking out the length of the street.  
"Fairgrounds," Darryl muttered, putting the car in park. He looked at Andy. "We say nothing. We saw nothing."  
"Agreed," Andy nodded grimly.  
They exited the vehicle and slowly made their way across the street. Andy and Darryl flashed their badges for the cordon officer, and Andy pulled Prue close. "She's with us," he assured him. "Forensics specialist."  
The officer nodded tersely and let them pass.  
Darryl's description of the crime scene as a fairground was barely an exaggeration; officers were jostling and tripping over each other, each trying to carry out an impossible task under a horrific panoply of severed heads. Darryl stared open-mouthed and aghast at the now revealed and seemingly endless row of victims.  
"Tried to warn you," Andy muttered grimly.  
Prue pointed to the nearest spike. "That one wasn't here last night."  
As Prue, Andy and Darryl were regarding the latest addition with horror, a man in a dark suit and long coat approached them, displaying a carefully neutral smile.  
"Oh, _shit,"_ Darryl muttered under his breath.  
Andy frowned at his partner in confusion. "What is it?"  
Before Darryl could answer, the man had reached them, and he held out a hand to Andy.  
"Inspector Trudeau? I'm Cole Turner. New ADA. No doubt your partner told you about me."  
He cast a quick glance at Darryl, but not a threatening one.  
Prue went stiff and her eyes widened as if she'd received an electric shock. The man standing in front of them was giving off waves of energy - demonic energy.  
"And who is this?" Turner asked, giving Prue a cordial smile, but Prue could see the truth behind his eyes - he knew she was a witch, as well. She felt her stomach tighten into knots.  
"Prue Halliwell." Prue introduced herself.  
Mercifully, Turner did not extend his hand to Prue; she might have fainted.  
"Civilians shouldn't be at a crime scene," Turner suggested to the detectives.  
"No, of course not," Andy agreed readily, only because he was concerned about Prue's standing - and possibly safety - in front of this unknown person, and he made a show of escorting her back to the car. Prue protested as Andy indicated she should wait inside the vehicle.  
"Andy, he's -"  
"Bad news. I know."  
"No, he's a demon."  
Andy looked hard at Prue. "You're sure?"  
"Positive. And he knows I'm a witch."  
"Then we need to get you out of here, now."  
Prue shook her head. "See if you can find out what he knows. Especially if he knows the demon responsible."  
"You think he knows that big red goon personally?"  
"I'd be surprised if he didn't. He's probably hoping that you and Darryl can mark out a trail right to him."  
"So, find out what he wants, without asking him," Andy grumbled. "Thanks for that, Prue."  
"Hey, you're the inspector." Prue managed a grin. "Don't worry, Andy. He's not going to try anything here, not with all these people around."  
"That's a big comfort," Andy retorted. "Don't leave the car."  
His look softened to one of concern, and Prue felt a little flutter in her heart. This good man would do anything to protect her. Andy straightened up and returned to the alley. Prue sighed, and let her head sink back against the car seat.  
She was about to close her eyes when there was a gentle rapping at the window. Prue nearly leapt out of her skin to see Cole Turner grinning at her.  
Prue turned, looking back towards the alley. Andy was walking towards Darryl, and both men had their backs to her, and Darryl was still talking - with Cole Turner. She turned back and Turner smiled disarmingly.  
"Do you want to roll down the window, or shall I?"  
Prue stared at Turner for a long moment, calculating her own helplessness against an upper-level demon, of whose powers and abilities - and intentions - she knew next to nothing. Glaring at him coldly, she lowered the window a little less than halfway.  
"How are you doing that?"  
"Oh, really, Miss Halliwell. I don't expect you to be impressed by simple parlor tricks. Appearing in two places at once? I bet you can do that in your sleep."  
He smiled, and for the first time, there was a glint of malevolence in his eyes.  
"Which one of us is the real me, do you suppose? Or maybe it's neither of us."  
"What do you want?"  
"We should talk." He took a surprisingly ordinary-looking business card out of his suit pocket, and held it out to her. "Privately."  
After hesitating a moment, Prue took the card.  
"Call me any time," Turner said. "I'll be waiting to hear from you."  
And then he vanished, as if he had never been there.  
Prue stared at the empty curb for a moment, then glanced back at the alley. Turner was still talking to the detectives, never once glancing in her direction.  
Prue held out the card and read it. The card simply bore the name, "Cole Turner" and a phone number. Nothing else. She turned the card over. Blank.  
Prue sighed, now more with fear than anything else, and pocketed the card.  
"Shit," she swore softly.

* * *

As Andy rejoined Darryl and Turner, the city's newest ADA had an odd expression on his face. Not one of horror or revulsion, rather one of resignation. He smiled perfunctorily at Andy.  
"I was just telling your colleague that I don't need to trouble you gentlemen any further," he said.  
"You don't need any statements?" Andy seemed bemused. "Don't you want to know what we saw?"  
Turner shook his head sadly. He looked down the alleyway and sighed.  
"Look at it, Inspector. Know what this is? It's a boneyard. Whoever's been putting their victims here has been doing it for a very long time. And now that the place has been uncovered, it won't be used again."  
"The forensics teams may turn up something."  
Turner made an indifferent shrug of the shoulders. "How old do you suppose those oldest skulls are? The ones down on the opposite end, there. They're bleached-white. They've probably been sitting there for decades."  
"I'm more concerned with the two newest ones. They were placed in the last forty-eight hours," Andy replied. "Much better chance for a fresh lead with those."  
Turner nodded thoughtfully.  
"Maybe. But now that this burial ground is public property, our perp won't be coming back here. He'll start up somewhere else. We've already lost our best chance to nab him."  
"Turner, do you have any idea who or what we're dealing with?"  
Turner seemed bemused in his turn by the directness of the question. He shrugged again. "A mobster," he said simply. Then he amended, "Or maybe, just a monster."  
He gave them both a terse nod, then turned on his heel and walked away. Andy watched him go.  
"So that's Turner," he said to Darryl.  
"He knows something," Darryl muttered. "Yesterday, he couldn't wait to talk to us. Now he couldn't care less."  
"Prue says he's a demon."  
Darryl cast a suspicious glance after Turner, who was just rounding the corner out of sight. "No shit," he breathed.  
"So he probably knows the demon who did this."  
"And what we know doesn't matter any more, because now everybody knows."  
"Something like that," Andy nodded grimly.  
"You don't -" Darryl hesitated.  
"What is it?"  
"You don't think Turner and that - _thing_ \- we saw are mixed up in this together?"  
"Do you believe in coincidences, Morris?"  
"Hell, no," Darryl snorted.  
"Me, either. Do me a favor. Let's drop Prue off at the manor first."  
"Not a problem. And after that?"  
"We go back to the station, and find out everything we can about Mr. Cole Turner."

* * *

Prue wanted desperately to go with the two detectives, but Andy was adamant that they split their forces.  
"We know we're dealing with demons now," he declared. "And more than one. So we really need you to convince your sisters to take their powers back. We're gonna need them."  
"Yeah, well, you saw how well that went last night."  
"Beg them, Prue. Hell. I'll beg them. I'll go down on my knees in front of them if it will help."  
"That could be intriguing," Prue grinned, but then her expression turned serious. "I'll do what I can, Andy. But you saw how my sisters reacted."  
"Phoebe seemed to think there was still a chance."  
"She's our best hope of getting Piper and Paige to buy in," Prue nodded. "If anyone can convince my sisters that witchcraft is worth practicing, it's Phoebe."

After Prue got inside the door, she suddenly realized how little sleep she'd had - and how exhausted she felt. After hanging up her coat, she hurried upstairs to her own room, grabbed her bathrobe and made a beeline for the bathroom.  
One long, soothingly hot shower later, Prue felt revived; she hurriedly dressed in clean clothing - a grey turtleneck sweater, in deference to the still unseasonably chilly weather, dark jeans and, after some deliberation, cross-trainers. Prue was reasonably sure there was no church service on the agenda today, and she had a feeling she'd be better off wearing shoes she could actually run in - just in case.  
She came downstairs to find Piper, Paige and Phoebe gathered in the kitchen. None of them were talking, but Piper was busily preparing breakfast for everyone, and the dining room table was laid out for six places.  
Prue opted to slide into a seat at the corner table in the kitchen, and picked up the heavy weekend edition of the newspaper, trying to squint at the headlines. She'd left her glasses upstairs again, still not used to carrying them. She sighed and let the heavy paper flop back down onto the tabletop.  
Without a word, Piper paused in her preparations long enough to pour a large mug of inky black coffee for her big sister, and brought it over to the table. She squeezed one of Prue's hands with her free one as she set the mug down. Prue looked up at Piper and smiled gratefully.  
"Thanks."  
"Is Andy joining us?" Piper asked, still squeezing Prue's hand.  
Prue shook her head sadly. "He had to go back to work."  
"Maybe he can join us later."  
"I hope so."  
Piper returned to the kitchen island to continue with breakfast preparations. Paige had watched the entire exchange with a puzzled expression. There was clearly some other communication passing between her sisters, something other than the words they said aloud. But she didn't know her new sisters well enough to understand what had just transpired.  
Phoebe, on the other hand, knew exactly what had occurred, and elatedly, she quickly walked over to Piper and bestowed a huge bear hug on her sister.  
"For heaven's sake, Phoebe, get _off_ me," Piper remonstrated.  
Phoebe took no notice and kissed her sister on the cheek. "I love you," she declared.  
"Yeah, yeah, fine. If you love me so much, go pour the milk and juice. We'll be ready to eat in five minutes."  
Phoebe gave Piper one last squeeze and set about to do as requested. After a moment, Paige followed Phoebe into the dining room.  
"What the hell was _that?"_ she asked, casting a glance back towards the kitchen.  
Phoebe grinned. "Paige, your sisters are very smart, and very strong-willed, and very independent women. Those are wonderful traits, but it also means that 'I'm sorry' or 'I was wrong' doesn't come out of our mouths very often."  
Paige mulled that over for a moment, and then her expression brightened. "You mean that -"  
"It means that an apology was offered, and an apology was accepted."  
Setting down the juice pitcher, she took Paige's hand and led her into the living room.  
"Short version, Piper's in. So the only remaining witchcraft vote is yours."  
Paige looked utterly crestfallen. "Does that mean I have to be a witch, too?"  
"It means, right now, you need to tell me what you're really afraid of."  
The two sisters sat down side-by-side on the couch. Phoebe offered her hands to Paige and she took them gratefully.  
"I actually don't mind the idea of being a witch," Paige admitted shyly. "In fact, I think it's kinda cool. It's just - I can't handle the whole voices in my head thing. It's too much like the time when I -" she paused for a moment. She looked at Phoebe pleadingly.  
"Phoebe, you can't tell anybody about what I'm going to show you," she whispered. "At least, not yet."  
"I promise," Phoebe nodded solemnly.  
Paige pursed her lips, deciding to accept the pact, then she rolled up the sleeve on her blouse and turned her palm upwards, so her wrist was bared. Phoebe drew in a sharp breath as she looked at the ugly pale scar running up her sister's arm from the base of her palm.  
"Last time, the voices in my head were all mine," Paige explained in a stilled voice. "But that's what I ended up doing, because of them. I don't want to end up like that again. I don't."  
"Oh, sweetie," Phoebe murmured in dismay.  
"I'm totally lame, I know that."  
"You're not. Don't ever say that." Phoebe regarded her sister carefully. "You're afraid you can't deal with having premonitions?"  
"I know I can't," Paige sighed, rolling her sleeve back down. "I don't want you guys to think any less of me. But I can't do this. I really can't. Please don't make me."  
"How old were you? I mean, when - when you -" Phoebe trailed off awkwardly.  
"Fifteen."  
"And the first premonition you had was a demon's voice, telling you he was going to kill you."  
"Yeah," Paige cast her eyes downward. "Didn't exactly do much to inspire confidence, you know?"  
Phoebe mulled over her sister's answer; then, nodding to herself, she stood up.  
"Hey, Prue?" she called out. "Can you come into the living room for a minute, please?"  
A moment later, Prue walked in, supported by the acrid fumes from her oversized coffee mug.  
"Hey guys, what's up?"  
"We have a problem, and I think you can help," Phoebe said, indicating she should sit down.  
Prue settled into the chair across from them.  
Phoebe looked over at Paige. "It's okay, sweetie," she said encouragingly. "You can tell her."  
Haltingly, Paige repeated her concerns for her big sister, and after a moment's hesitation, bared her scars again.  
Prue listened carefully to her baby sister, not asking any questions, simply nodding her acknowledgement at intervals. When Paige had finished, Prue took a long sip from her coffee mug.  
"So, what do you think?" Phoebe asked hopefully.  
Prue set her mug down on the coffee table and then looked at her youngest sister. "Paige, what if - you could have a different power?" Prue suggested quietly.  
Paige frowned in puzzlement. "What do you mean?"  
"What if you had _my_ power? Would you consider it then?"  
Paige stared at her sister blankly; this was obviously something she hadn't considered.  
"There is a spell, in the Book of Shadows," Prue said carefully, "That allows witches to exchange their powers with one another. I would be willing to give my power of telekinesis to you, and take your power of premonition."  
Paige drew in a sharp breath. "You mean - instead of hearing voices in my head, I could just wave my arms and move stuff around, like you do?"  
"If you want to, yes."  
"That - that wouldn't bother you?"  
"Trading powers?" Prue shook her head. "I like my power, yes. But I would give it to you, gladly, if that's the only thing keeping you from embracing magic."  
"And having other people's thoughts in your head wouldn't completely freak you out?"  
"It would certainly annoy me," Prue admitted with a grim smile. "But it wouldn't terrify me."  
"You - would do that for me?" Paige quavered.  
Prue's smile warmed and turned radiant. "Yes," she answered, her dusky voice softening with affection. "I would."  
Paige found herself blinking back tears. "I - I don't know what to say."  
Leo walked into the living room. "Hey, you guys," he greeted them. "Breakfast is ready." He paused. "Uhh - did I walk in on something private?"  
"No, it's fine, Leo," Prue assured him with a smile. She stood up. "We actually have some good news." She glanced quickly at her sisters. "It looks like the Charmed Ones are officially back in business."  
Leo stared at them for a moment, flabbergasted; and his face brightened in a wide, toothy smile. "That _is_ good news," he declared.  
Grinning with relief, Phoebe also stood up. "Well, let's celebrate," she declared. "Starting with, let's have breakfast before it becomes lunch!"

* * * 

Andy Trudeau and Darryl Morris spent several long hours checking their computer screens in an otherwise empty office in the station house. Their irritation kept increasing, as their search for information on Cole Turner was turning out to be just as empty as the office.  
"This doesn't make any damn sense," Darryl complained bitterly, waving his hand in the general direction of his computer screen. "Until about five years ago, there is absolutely no trace of this guy - no college, no high school, no voting record, no driver's license, no birth certificate - nothing. Just one day, he turns up, out of the blue, as one of the highest profile lawyers in one of the most prestigious firms on the east coast. And before that, it's like the man does not exist."  
"Which tends to support Prue's assertion he's a demon," Andy sighed, wearily rubbing his burning eyes.  
"And that's the other thing. Until about two months ago, he's living high on the corporate hog with all the bigwigs on the east coast, and now, all of a sudden, he comes out here to San Francisco, to take an ADA position with the city? Hell of a demotion, don't you think?"  
"Not if he had other reasons for being here."  
"Like what, for example?"  
Andy shook his head numbly. "I don't know."  
"Nothing about this guy adds up. The less I see, the less I like it."  
"That makes two of us, Morris. The question is, what do we do now?" Andy leaned back in his chair. "Being a demon isn't a criminal offense. And we don't have any evidence that links Turner to any of the victims at the crime scene. And some of those victims - I would guess most of them - aren't even human."  
"Which means, we have to take it to Prue and her sisters."  
Andy nodded grimly. "Let's just hope Prue's having better luck than we are."

* * *

Breakfast at Halliwell manor was a much happier affair than the previous evening's dinner. None of the sisters made any mention of their collective decision, but they didn't need to; now, they could simply banter with each other as sisters. The hard part was finished. They could worry about the details later.  
As Leo, Piper and Paige started to clear the dishes away, Prue pulled Phoebe aside in the atrium for a private word.  
"What's up?" Phoebe asked.  
"I don't want to involve Piper and Paige in this, at least, not just yet," Prue said, digging in her jeans pocket. "But I think you can help us get a lead on our mysterious demon."  
"Oh, yes?"  
Finally finding the elusive business card, Prue pulled it from her pocket and handed it to Phoebe.  
"Can you get any premonitions off this?" she asked hopefully.  
Phoebe took the card, read its face, turned it over. "Huh," she murmured.  
"Anything?"  
"Well, not a premonition, no," Phoebe stared at the card thoughtfully. "But - I just know we need to call this number. Actually, I'm the one who needs to call the number."  
_"You_ do?"  
"Yeah. I have no idea why, but it needs to be me who makes the call."  
Prue looked at her sister sharply, and then relented. She had learned from bitter experience to trust her baby sister's intuitions.  
"Okay, fine," she agreed. "Just as long as I'm right next to your ear, listening too."  
"When do you want to call him?"  
"I think he just wants to arrange a meeting, so, no time like the present."  
They walked into the foyer, and Phoebe picked up the phone from its cradle on the end table next to the stairwell.  
"So, who is Cole Turner, anyway?" Phoebe asked, as she dialed the number.  
"A demon lawyer from hell," Prue said in all honesty.  
"Really."  
"Yup."  
The line rang, twice, and then picked up. A man's voice answered. "Hello?"  
"Hello, may I speak to Cole Turner, please," Phoebe said.  
The next moment, Phoebe felt herself suddenly ripped away from her reality - lost in a swirling vortex of buffeting winds and dark purple vapor trails. She knew instantly that the call had been a trap - and she cursed herself for walking so blindly into it. No, not blindly. She knew she was meant to make the call. Which meant - what, for herself and her sisters?  
Then, Phoebe was somewhere else. She was aware of being sprawled across a floor. A deep pile rug was brushing her cheek. Gingerly, she sat up. She was apparently in a windowed office - she could see a mahogany desk and at least two chairs with matching wood on rollers.  
Phoebe picked herself up off the floor. "Another damn teleport," she muttered to herself angrily. "Why is it always _me_ that gets whisked away to -"  
She stumbled to a halt as she made it to her feet. Standing only a few steps away from her was a man in a dark business suit - the most beautiful man Phoebe had ever seen. He was staring at her with utter confusion. Phoebe drew in a deep breath.  
"You're - not Prue," he said, stating the obvious.  
Phoebe felt her heart drop out of her chest. Beautiful or not, the man standing before her was a demon - and from the energy he was radiating, he was easily the most powerful demon she'd ever faced.  
"Ohh, _crap,"_ breathed Phoebe Halliwell.


	4. Rain

Cautiously, Phoebe straightened up from her defensive crouch, and regarded the demon in front of her.  
"Are you - Cole Turner?" she asked.  
Turned seemed utterly flummoxed by the question. "Yes, I'm Cole Turner," he answered after a long pause, but even then, he hardly seemed sure of his answer.  
Phoebe and Turner stood just a few feet apart as if frozen, staring into each other's eyes, as if they had been placed under a mutual spell of mesmerism.  
"Who are you?" Turner asked at last.  
"Oh!" Phoebe in her turn was startled out of her reverie. "I - I'm Phoebe," she stammered. "Phoebe Halliwell."  
"A Charmed One," Turner sought to clarify.  
After a moment's hesitation, Phoebe nodded. "Yes."  
With a visible effort, Turner collected himself. "Won't you sit down," he offered perfunctorily, indicating one of the upholstered chairs.  
Phoebe decided she wasn't ready to trust that invitation - not when the man making it was giving off waves of demonic energy. To say nothing of the fact he was so beautiful to Phoebe's eyes that just looking at him made her knock-kneed.  
"What do you want with me?"  
"Actually, I was hoping to talk to your sister," Turner admitted, almost sheepishly. His look turned to one of calculation. "But now that you're here..."  
He took a step forward, and Phoebe immediately took a step back, to keep distance between them. Turner snorted with bemusement.  
"If I wanted to hurt you, Miss Halliwell, believe me, I'd've done it by now," he pointed out. He cocked his head slightly, as a dog might, regarding her through heavy-lidded eyes.  
"You have all your powers," he commented.  
"What?"  
"Your magic. It's very strong. One of the strongest auras I've ever felt." His tone was almost admiring.  
"Yeah, that's right," Phoebe blustered. "A fully powered witch. You don't want to mess with me."  
Turner smiled mirthlessly. "I have no intentions of 'messing with you'," he disclaimed. He indicated the chair again. "Won't you please sit down," he offered, and this time his tone was far more cordial. Phoebe sat.  
Sighing almost with relief, Turner took the chair across from Phoebe.  
"You have all your magical powers, but your sisters do not," Turner mused aloud. "That is very strange."  
"How do you know my sisters don't have any powers?" Phoebe challenged.  
"The same way that you sense my demonic energy," Turner shrugged. "So, how is it that you have all your magical gifts, but your sisters don't?"  
"I'm - not going to share that with you," Phoebe decided.  
Turner shrugged again, a noncommittal gesture. "Fair enough," he said. "I can find out for myself soon enough."  
"What do you want with my sister?" Phoebe demanded.  
Turner gave her a searching look, so unnerving that Phoebe felt as if her own soul was being spilled out onto the floor. He was clearly using demonic powers to do - what? Read her thoughts?  
Finally, he settled back into his chair, apparently satisfied.  
"I could start by telling you that I mean no harm to you, or your sisters," he said. "But I doubt you'd believe me."  
"You're right, I don't."  
"That's fine. Whether you believe me or not is immaterial." He leaned forward slightly, and even that slight gesture made Phoebe distinctly woozy. His unnatural beauty was addling her brain, making it hard for her to think or concentrate.  
"Your sisters have rejected their magical gifts. If they persist in that rejection, they will soon lose their powers for good."  
He waited a moment to see if Phoebe would react, or rebut, but she sat silently, giving him the coldest stare she could manage.  
"I intend to ask them to continue in that wise decision."  
Phoebe thought she hadn't heard right. "And?"  
"And that's it," Turner said simply. "That's all I want from your sister. Her assurance that she won't seek to reclaim her powers."  
"So all the demons in San Francisco can do whatever they want, with no one to stop them?"  
Turner snorted derisively. "Oh, please," he remonstrated. "Just the fact you'd say something like that shows how little you know about demons."  
"I know more than you think," Phoebe retorted.  
"Really," Turner said dryly. "Why do you think demons like me even exist? We're only here because of the evil that resides within _you_ \- I mean, all of you, everyone," he clarified. "Demons live off the negative energies that human beings expel every day. It's food for us."  
"Ugh," Phoebe shuddered.  
"When people succumb to their own greed, or bear false witness against their neighbor, or when they enjoy seeing another person suffer and take pleasure in it - that's our nourishment. You humans delude yourselves so much. You tell yourselves that you're kind and decent and fair-minded. You're nothing of the sort."  
"That's not true," Phoebe protested.  
"Isn't it?" Turner countered. "If human beings were as full of charity and lovingkindness for their fellow man as they claim to be, demons would not exist at all. We'd just dry up and blow away. That's why we call our Sovereign of Hell 'The Source'. It's an honorary title, but it's also a joke. Every demon knows the true source of all evil. It's Mankind. Apart from carbon dioxide, evil is humanity's principal byproduct."  
"That just shows how little _you_ know about human beings," Phoebe almost spat the words.  
"We know you better than you know yourselves," Turner assured her. "And we wish we had even a fraction of the qualities you attribute to us. Demons don't create evil, and to a large extent, we can't influence it, either. The truth is, we're all just hunter-gatherers, feeding off the crops you provide. If you actually became pious, or even kind, every demon on earth would starve to death in a matter of days." He shook his head in self-disapproval. "I don't know why I'm telling you all this," he confessed.  
"Maybe you just like the sound of your own voice."  
Turner regarded her again, and Phoebe felt as she did before, like her whole soul was being emptied out in front of her and there was nothing she could do to stop it.  
Turner leaned forward in his chair. "Do you -" he started to ask, then abruptly cut himself off.  
Phoebe waited for a moment. When Turner seemed reluctant to continue, she prompted him gently, "Do I what?"  
Turner pursed his lips. "Many years ago, I met a clairvoyant. A seer. With extraordinary powers of perception - and precognition." He made a slight nervous gesture with his hands. "She told me that one day I would meet a witch - with powers unlike any witch ever known - who would undo me. Literally strip my demonic self from my human host, and leave me hollow. And crippled."  
He looked at Phoebe earnestly. "Are you her?" he asked. "Have you come to destroy me?"  
Phoebe swallowed hard. "What if I am?" she countered, trying desperately to sound braver than she felt.  
A look of pure dismay washed over Turner's face. "Please don't say that," he muttered. "I don't want to kill you."  
Phoebe stared at him in stunned amazement for a long moment.  
"You - you really mean that," she said.  
Turner made a ruff of annoyance, and made another vague gesture with his hands, indicating his irritation with himself.  
Phoebe frowned, and then, for the first time, deliberately reached out with her magical powers to properly assess the threat in front of her. Turner seemed to be aware of what she was doing, but made no attempt to stop her. He seemed to be simply waiting. Phoebe drew in a sharp breath and recoiled with shock.  
"You're Belthazor," she said, aghast.  
Turner nodded gravely. "I am Belthazor," he agreed. "Cole Turner is just my human aspect."  
"But - you have a soul," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.  
"That surprises you?"  
"I wasn't expecting that," Phoebe admitted. She regarded him with new insight. "You're in pain," she said sympathetically. "There's a part of you that wants goodness, and it hurts you - the demonic part of you."  
Turner's features immediately darkened and he rose to his feet. "Stop," he commanded with a snarl. "Don't say another word. Or I swear, I'll strangle the life out of you with my bare hands."  
Phoebe shuddered. Turner was issuing no threat, but a very real promise. Turner relaxed both his stance and his expression with a visible effort.  
"I'm sorry," he apologized. "I'm not thinking straight. You're - you're very beautiful."  
Phoebe blinked in surprise; she couldn't have heard that right. "Sorry, what?"  
"And you are just as attracted to me, as I am to you."  
"I'm _not_ attracted to you," Phoebe declared vehemently, but the words were no sooner out of her mouth than she realized that was one of the biggest lies she'd ever uttered.  
Turner seemed to appreciate her predicament, and smiled tolerantly. "This isn't the interview I expected," he admitted. "But, by coming here, you have given me something else I didn't expect - something very valuable."  
Phoebe did her best to suppress a shudder. "What's that?"  
Turner's smile turned into a cold sneer. "Leverage."

* * *

"AAEEEIIIUUGGH!"  
Prue Halliwell's aggrieved shriek brought the entire household into the foyer at a dead run.  
"Prue, what is it?" Piper asked, as she and Leo and Paige gathered around.  
"SHIT! I am so fucking STUPID!" Prue shrieked again, momentarily encompassed in a bubble of her own blind rage.  
"What's happened?" asked Leo.  
"He's got her!" Prue balled her fists and clenched her teeth.  
"Who?"  
"Turner! He's got Phoebe!"  
As Piper, Leo and Paige exchanged alarmed glances with one another, Prue made an attempt to calm herself enough to share what she knew. "Turner set a trap for me, and I let Phoebe walk right into it."  
"Who's Turner?" Paige asked, utterly bewildered.  
Prue exhaled sharply, trying to get control of her rampaging emotions. "Cole Turner. He's a new assistant district attorney with the city. He's also a demon."  
"Oh, of course he is," Piper groaned with dismay.  
"He was trying to arrange a meeting with me, and I let Phoebe take the call," Prue grimaced again. "God DAMN it!"  
"Wait, you're taking _meetings_ with demons now?" Piper asked.  
Leo placed a calming hand on Piper's arm. "Prue, I think maybe you should start at the beginning, and explain everything to us," he suggested quietly.  
Nodding in agreement, Prue led them into the living room, and they settled themselves into chairs and couches.  
"When Andy and Darryl came by the house on Saturday, they wanted to ask for my help," she began. "They had seen a demon - or at least, they wanted to be sure if it was a demon. So I went with them to the location, and there was enough demonic residue in the air to leave me feeling violently ill." Prue shuddered, remembering.  
"And so you decided to turn us all back into demon hunters again," Piper growled, barely keeping her anger in check.  
"No. I decided, since demons are real, our best defense against them is our magical powers. And honestly, Piper, I also think it's our best deterrent."  
Paige seemed utterly baffled, so Leo added an explanation. "Good witches and demons are natural enemies," he said. "If the presence of good witches is strong enough, they can prevent demonic activity from spreading."  
"You mean, when the demons see there are witches living in the neighborhood, they'll go look someplace else to set up shop," Paige said.  
"Something like that."  
"They're _afraid_ of us?"  
"It might not always seem that way, Paige, but yes, demons are frightened by good witches," Prue smiled grimly. She turned back to Piper. "And I don't intend to go out demon hunting, Piper, I promise," she assured her sister. "I want to be able to live my life, just like you do. But if any demon comes here looking for trouble, then I want to be able to defend myself. And I want my sisters to be able to defend themselves."  
"Phoebe seems to think magic is fun," Paige suggested in a small voice.  
"Yeah, well, Phoebe's nuts," Piper said sourly.  
"Piper," Prue reproved her sister gently. "Yes, Paige, some magic is actually fun. Once all this is over, I'll show you how to do a glamour. That's a _lot_ of fun."  
"A glamour?"  
"You can make yourself look like anyone you want."  
"Okay, that could be cool," Paige nodded.  
"So, who is Turner, and how did you get involved with him?" Leo asked.  
"I've only met him once," Prue answered. "He was meeting with Andy and Darryl when we discovered the severed heads - don't ask," she added quickly. "I could tell instantly that he was a demon, and he knew I was a witch."  
"He didn't attack you?" Leo frowned.  
"I suppose he could have done, but no, he didn't," Prue admitted. "Now I'm kind of wondering why."  
"So, what did he do, then?" Piper asked.  
"He just gave me his business card," Prue shrugged helplessly. "Asked me to call him."  
"You're joking."  
"He wasn't."  
"So, what does he want?"  
"I really have no idea. But I'm pretty sure he doesn't want to just talk."  
"Demons kill witches," Piper informed Paige flatly.  
"Yeah, I kind of got that part," Paige answered irritably, and Piper flinched.  
"Yeah. I guess you do. Sorry," she apologized, remembering the demon attack that had first brought Paige and her sisters together.  
"So, what do we do next?" Leo asked.  
Prue sighed. "We still have Turner's business card. I think our next move is to call him."  
"But now he's got Phoebe. And you don't have your powers back yet."  
"If you have a better suggestion, Leo, I'm all ears."  
Leo grimaced for a moment, then shook his head.  
"Okay, then." Prue took out her flip phone. "I'll put the call on speaker, so everyone can hear."  
Sighing heavily, she glanced at the card, then dialed the number. As the line began to ring, she set the external speaker on, and set the phone on the coffee table. Everyone leaned in slightly to listen.  
"Miss Halliwell. Thank you for returning my call so promptly." Turner's voice seemed smug, even compressed through the tiny speaker.  
"I want to talk to Phoebe," Prue said firmly.  
"She's right here," Turner assured her, and a moment later, Phoebe's voice was heard on the line.  
"Hey, Prue, I'm okay," she assured her sister. "He hasn't tried to hurt me."  
Prue closed her eyes for a moment, and offered a silent prayer of thanksgiving.  
"Miss Halliwell, we still have some business to discuss," Turner said, apparently taking the phone back. "And I would prefer a face to face meeting, here in my office."  
"I will discuss nothing with you until Phoebe is released, safe and unharmed," Prue said flatly.  
"You misapprehend me, Miss Halliwell. I have no intention of harming you or your sisters."  
"If that's true, why was that first call set up to spirit me away?"  
"I thought it would save some tedious negotiation if I assumed your cooperation."  
"You presume too much where I'm concerned," Prue declared.  
"Perhaps, but now that your sister is here, I think it's safe to assume I have your undivided attention. I have just two conditions for our meeting. If agree to those, then Phoebe goes home with you afterwards, as you say, safe and unharmed - and you don't need to worry about me ever again."  
Prue felt her teeth clenching. "What are the conditions?"  
"One, you and your sisters come to my office - alone. The White Lighter isn't welcome. Neither is your Inspector boyfriend."  
Prue glanced at Leo. "Agreed," she said, and although Leo didn't say anything, he clearly did not agree.  
"Two, you are not to try reclaiming your powers before coming here. If I sense any magical energy from you or your sisters, then the meeting is off."  
"Don't you dare hurt my sister -"  
"Phoebe will not be harmed," Turner cut her off. "And I would prefer not to even threaten her - threats are tiresome, and they seldom yield results. Come to my office, now, and we'll talk. Afterwards, you and your sisters are free to leave. Including Phoebe."  
Prue swallowed hard, realizing she was hopelessly at sea in what was effectively a hostage negotiation. She looked first to Piper, then to Paige, and both nodded their silent agreement.  
"We have a deal," Prue answered reluctantly.  
"Excellent." Turner said. "Look at my business card. It will now have an address for my office. I look forward to meeting with you."  
The line clicked and went dead. Prue picked up the phone, shaking with rage.  
"Damn it," she muttered, snapping the phone shut. She picked up the business card - and as Turner had indicated, a downtown address was now embossed into the paper, as if it had always been there.  
"What do we do now?" Paige quavered.  
Sighing, Prue stood up.  
"Piper, would you go up into the attic, and get the athame, please?"  
"What good is that gonna do? We can't cast a spell with it," Piper objected.  
"No, but it is a blade that can cut demon flesh," Prue reminded her. "We may not have our powers, but I'm not going into Turner's office without a weapon."  
"Prue, I don't like the idea of you guys just walking in there without any backup or any exit strategy," Leo cautioned.  
"Don't worry, Leo. I'm about to take care of both. Can you orb us all to downtown?"  
"Sure, if that's what you want."  
"And duck out of sight, just within calling range?"  
"Yes."  
"Good. I'll call Andy, and ask if he and Darryl wouldn't mind standing by in the lobby."  
"That still won't get you out of danger in case of an attack," Leo pointed out.  
"No, but we're going to take care of that too," Prue smiled unexpectedly at Paige. "Right now."  
"What are you looking at _me_ for?" Paige asked, bewildered.  
"Paige," Prue declared solemnly, "You are our secret weapon."

* * *

Turner returned to the sitting area with a tea tray, and much to Phoebe's bemusement, set it down on the table in front of her and poured her a cup, then one for himself.  
"It's green tea," he said, almost apologetically. "I'm afraid the only other thing I have to offer you is bottled water."  
"Why are you doing this?" Phoebe asked, not moving from where she sat.  
"Doing what?"  
"Kidnapping me -"  
"I'm not holding you hostage, Miss Halliwell. Once your sisters arrive, you're free to leave."  
"But I'm not free to leave right now?"  
"The offer I'm going to put forth is for all the Halliwell sisters. It's in your best interests to hear what I have to say."  
"You're making us an offer?" Phoebe raised an eyebrow. "A deal with the devil?"  
"You could think of it that way," Turner agreed, lifting his cup to his lips.  
"One we can't refuse?"  
"I'm hoping the incentives are strong enough you won't want to refuse."  
Intrigued, Phoebe leaned forward and picked up the cup that Turner had poured for her. She sipped the liquid experimentally; the tea was full and flavorful, and no trace of bitterness.  
"This is excellent," she admitted. "Thank you."  
"You're welcome, Miss Halliwell."  
"Phoebe. My name's Phoebe."  
For the life of her, Phoebe couldn't understand why she would want to be on a first name basis with a demon, but she didn't seem to be able to help herself.  
"Phoebe." Turner's smile was almost friendly. "You can call me Cole. If you want."  
"Cole." Phoebe smiled in her turn. "So, if you're not here to kill us, what are you here for?"  
"Like my sign says on the door. I'm a peacekeeper."  
"Really."  
"My ADA role is a cover, but you don't need me to tell you that. But my job here is to keep the peace. Really. We have many demons who have been stepping out of line lately. I've been sent here to ensure they know the rules, and obey them."  
"A demon sheriff?" Phoebe almost laughed.  
"Well ... an enforcer."  
"I didn't think demons had any laws. Or rules."  
"Not as you would have in a human society, no. But we do have a code we're expected to live by."  
"A code of conduct."  
"I suppose you could call it that," Turner agreed thoughtfully.  
"So, when the demons break the rules, you break their heads."  
"Yes. Sometimes, literally."  
"I won't ask," Phoebe shuddered, but her curiosity got the better of her. "So, what law does a demon break, that they need to send Marshall Cole Turner in after him?"  
"Well, in this instance, it actually involves you and your sisters," Turner said, somewhat evasively. "And it would be better if we talked about that when everyone is here."

A few moments later, a gentle illumination in a deserted corridor heralded the arrival of the Charmed Ones and their White Lighter in the building where Cole Turner had his office. Prue peeked around the corner and drew back, satisfied.  
"Okay. Coast is clear," she announced in hushed tones. "Leo, you'll need to make yourself scarce. I'm guessing Turner can sense your presence, and we don't want to make him nervous."  
"If you need me, just yell," Leo said grimly.  
"Oh, no worries about that, trust me," Prue assured him.  
After giving Piper a reassuring kiss and embrace, Leo vanished in a glow of white light.  
"I'm never gonna get used to that," Paige shook her head sadly.  
"Don't sell yourself short," Prue said. "From what I hear, your other self took to orbing like a duck to water."  
"Yeah, well, she's her, and I'm me," Paige retorted.  
"Where's Turner's office?" Piper asked.  
"Should be at the other end of the corridor." Prue stepped out into the open. "Hey, come on, we were invited," she reminded her sisters. "I don't think anyone's going to stop and detain us."  
They walked down the hallway, feigning a nonchalance they did not feel. When they arrived at the office entrance, the door opened of its own accord.  
"Not a good sign," Piper muttered to Prue, but her older sister ignored her.  
"Ladies, won't you please come in," invited Cole Turner, positioning himself so he could be seen from the doorway.  
After hesitating a moment, Prue entered, and Piper and Paige followed. Phoebe got up out of her chair and rushed into Prue's arms.  
"Phoebe. Thank God," Prue hugged her tightly. "Are you okay?"  
"I'm fine," Phoebe assured her. "Cole hasn't hurt me."  
_"Cole?"_ Piper was hardly reassured. "You're on a first name basis with the demons now?"  
"Guys, he says he wants to make us an offer," Phoebe tried to explain.  
"Really," Prue said, staring coldly at Turner.  
"I just want ten minutes of your time," Turner said, holding his hands out in a gesture of pacification. "After that, you're free to go."  
"I think maybe we should just go right now," Piper announced.  
"I'm sorry, I don't believe we've met."  
"Hi, there," Piper said icily. "I'm the middle sister - you know, the quiet one you should never piss off."  
If Piper's anger made any difference to Turner, he did not show it outwardly. "Ah. That would mean you're Piper, then. And you would be Paige?" he asked, glancing at the tallest and youngest of the sisters. "Ladies, you are welcome here. Please. Sit. I really do think you'll be interested in what I have to say."  
Phoebe gave Prue's hand a gentle squeeze, and the briefest nod of her head, to indicate her assent. Deciding to trust Phoebe's instincts, Prue relented and settled herself into the nearest chair. After a moment, all her sisters did likewise in the remaining chairs. Turner's smile was almost genial.  
"Thank you," he said with apparent sincerity. "Let me begin by saying, I know that you have given up your magical powers. What you may not know is, the entire demon community is also aware of this."  
"Lucky us," grumbled Piper.  
"As I'm sure you know, that doesn't make you any less of a target," Turner pointed out. "There are any number of demons out there who still think your powers are theirs for the taking."  
"So you want to take them off our hands instead?" Prue asked pointedly.  
"No. My job is to make sure no demon gets his hands on them."  
"Sorry, what?" Prue frowned in puzzlement.  
"That doesn't make any sense," objected Paige.  
"Oh, I assure you, it does," said Turner. "The Source himself has appointed me to track down any demon who is foolish enough to make such an attempt - and see that he's dealt with. Permanently."  
"But why?" Paige asked.  
"Because any demon who has the powers of the Charmed Ones could challenge the Source," Prue said, staring coldly at Turner. "He might even be able to vanquish the Source, and take his place."  
"You are a quick study," Turner murmured appreciatively. "Yes, that's exactly right. When you ladies decided to give up your magical gifts, you created a vacuum of power in the magical world. It's been destabilizing, to say the least."  
"You could fool us," Piper objected. "We haven't seen a demon for weeks."  
"No, you haven't, and I would be the reason for that. Someone had to protect you, since you apparently couldn't or wouldn't do anything to protect yourselves."  
"So, what exactly do you want?" Prue asked.  
"As you're also aware, if you don't reclaim your powers soon, they will be lost to you forever," Turner said. "I would like you to just stick with that decision. Go about your normal, boring, happy, everyday non-magical lives. And in exchange for that, the Source is willing to offer you lifetime protection from any demon attacks. You'd never see another demon again. Not as long as any of you are still alive."  
"No demons? Ever?" Piper almost seemed intrigued by the idea.  
"Okay, that's the sales pitch," Prue said. "What's in the fine print? Who gets our powers? You?"  
Turner shook his head. "I don't want them," he said bluntly.  
"Yeah, like I'm going to believe that."  
"I don't need to be more of a target than I already am."  
"So our powers would go to the Source of all Evil."  
"And he would see to it they would be used judiciously."  
"We aren't buying this crap, are we?" Piper asked.  
"You think your powers would be abused, but you're wrong," Turner said. "Abuse of power is a human concept. Real power, held by supernatural beings, is always in service of the Way. For Yin, there must be Yang. Without balance, there is Chaos."  
"But isn't that what the Source is? The Bringer of Chaos?" Phoebe spoke up.  
Turner was apparently caught off-guard by the question, and he took several moments in mulling his reply.  
"The Source is not interested in an imbalance so great it would destroy the world ... or himself."  
Phoebe regarded him with obvious disappointment.  
"That's the first time you've lied to me, Cole."  
"Will you STOP calling the demon by his first name?" Piper hissed.  
Phoebe exchanged a quick glance with Prue, and the eldest Halliwell nodded and stood up.  
"We're done here," she announced to her sisters.  
"But - you haven't made a decision?" Turner objected.  
"Yes, we have," Prue answered. "And our decision is, we are taking our powers back."  
Turner seemed genuinely crestfallen. "Are you sure that's your answer?"  
"Absolutely," Prue said.  
"I'm sorry to hear you say that," he sighed.  
Something in the back of Prue's mind urged instant retreat.  
"Paige?" she called out, and just as she did so, Turner vanished, and in his place stood Belthazor, snarling and enraged.  
Paige grabbed Piper and Phoebe's hands, and with a flash of light, the sisters vanished.  
"NO!" Belthazor roared.  
"Sorry, demon," Prue pulled the athame from its hidden sheath inside her coat. "I know what 'lifetime guarantee' means in your terms. And I'm _not_ interested."  
As Belthazor charged her, Prue instinctively held the blade of the athame up to defend herself, and the demon impaled himself upon it, the cold metal striking deep into his heart.  
His entire expression changed to one of shock and disbelief. Prue stepped away, just as startled as Turner; and the demon looked down to see the blade imbedded to its hilt in his chest. He stood for a moment, dumbfounded, then slowly he crumpled, sinking to his knees. He looked up at Prue and snarled weakly.  
"This isn't over, witch," he promised.  
"We'll be waiting," Prue gave the promise back.  
With a shimmer, the demon vanished.

* * *

Some time later, a gentle rain began falling over the city as the sisters gathered at Quake, with Andy and Leo in tow. They weren't exactly in a celebratory mood, but all were grateful to have escaped another demon's clutches with no harm to themselves - and their collective relief was palpable as they gathered around one of the tables near the bar.  
In deference to Paige, each sister ordered a non-alcoholic cocktail - Prue a mint and apple cooler, Phoebe a Shirley Temple, Piper and Leo shared an Arnold Palmer, and Paige a sparkling cider mixed with cranberry juice. Andy declined the faux cocktails in favor of a bottle of mineral water.  
"That was nice work you did, Paige," Prue complimented her baby sister. "Thanks."  
Paige made a face. "All I did was find a new way of running away."  
"You did great," Leo countered.  
"You saved our lives," Phoebe assured her, hugging her tightly and giving her a quick kiss on the cheek.  
"I really wasn't sure I could do that," Paige admitted. "It's not like we had a chance to practice."  
"But you did it," Prue said. "And thanks to you, we're all alive and unharmed."  
"That was a terrible risk you took, Prue," Piper said quietly. "Standing your ground alone against Belthazor. And we had no way of knowing if he knew about Paige's White Lighter powers, either."  
Prue hung her head, but only for a moment. "You're right," she admitted. "I was reacting, instead of planning. But next time, we'll be ready."  
"Because next time, we'll have our powers."  
"Are you okay with that?" Prue asked her sister with concern.  
Piper sighed. "I have resigned myself to the necessary evil," she declared. "Yes, Prue. I'm okay with the magic. It's just the demons I can't stand."  
"I don't think you'll get any arguments at this table about that," Prue agreed somberly, and then she smiled at Paige. "And Paige, my offer still stands. If you want to exchange powers, that will be the very next item on the to do list."  
"Yeah. I would like that," Paige admitted gratefully. "Thanks, Prue."  
"So, you do think there will be a next time," Phoebe's remark to Prue was more of a question. "You think we will see Cole again."  
"He was wounded pretty badly, but I doubt that will slow him down for long," Prue decided. "I would be surprised, if that's the last we see of him."  
"Yeah, and you seemed awfully chummy with your buddy 'Cole'," Piper said to Phoebe.  
"Hey, do I even need to bring up Jeremy's name?" Phoebe retorted.  
"All right, all right, you guys, enough," Prue interceded before the argument could turn ugly. "Let's just be grateful everything turned out all right."  
"For now," Piper sniffed.  
"To the Charmed Ones," Prue toasted, hoisting her glass.  
"To the Power of Four," Phoebe added.  
"The Power of Four," everyone agreed, clinking their glasses. As Prue sipped on her beverage, she noticed a couple entering the bar area out of the corner of her eye, and tugged at Andy's sleeve.  
"What is it?" he asked.  
Prue tilted her head in the direction of the couple. Darryl and Sheila Morris were settling into one of the booths on the opposite side of the room. Andy regarded them with concern.  
"They're not smiling."  
"They're not screaming at each other, either," Prue pointed out.  
"Maybe we should go over," Andy mused aloud.  
"Maybe we should wait, and let them decide if they would like for us to join them," Prue suggested.  
Andy nodded. "You're right," he agreed, albeit reluctantly. "They're trying to work things out. They only need the two of them for that."  
He returned to his mineral water, trying to ignore the fact it wasn't beer. Prue squeezed his hand and smiled.  
"Stay at my place tonight?" she invited him.  
Andy grinned. "Does this mean you want to have 'the talk'?"  
Prue's smile turned completely carnal. "No. I think tonight I just want to fuck you until we're both too sore to move."  
The sisters pealed with laughter at Prue's straightforward answer.  
"Oh, my God, Prue!" Piper snorted.  
"Hey, life is short, and I intend to enjoy myself," Prue answered. "Thoroughly!"  
"Sounds like a plan to me," Paige nodded emphatically. She stood up.  
"Where are you going?" Phoebe asked.  
"Well ... my big sister reminded me yesterday that I can't sit on the sidelines my whole life," Paige smiled gratefully at Piper. "And she's absolutely right. And I see a certain someone at the bar to whom I'd like to introduce myself. Since life is so short and all. So, if you'll excuse me..." she grinned as she walked away.  
Her sisters watched as Paige made her way to the bar. She sidled up to an attractive blonde with a short pageboy bob and wearing a long black dress. And in the space of a few moments, they appeared to be chatting happily together.  
Piper's mouth fell open. "Oh, my God, she _is,"_ she exclaimed. "She's -"  
Phoebe burst out laughing. "Oh, come on, Piper," she protested. "We do live in San Francisco, you know."  
"I know, but -"  
"But, nothing," Prue interjected. "As long as Paige is with someone who makes her happy, that's all that matters."  
"But - what if she really _likes_ her?"  
"Then we subject her to the same relentless scrutiny we'd give to any potential boyfriend," Prue declared. "As any good sister should."  
"What about you?" Piper turned to Phoebe. "Now that the demon's vanquished, are you just going to vanish again?"  
"Well, we all still have jobs to go to in the morning, Piper," Phoebe smiled wearily. "But I can come back anytime. I'm as close as your phone."  
"I know. I just wish you were closer," Piper said forlornly.  
"Come home with me," Phoebe said impulsively, taking Piper's hands into her own. "Come stay with me. Please. Just for a little while. Call in sick for a day. Or even two. Before you quit your lousy job. Before you get busy with opening your own restaurant. Before you and Leo start your lives together. Come see where I live. Come see _how_ I live. You didn't really get to see it before, and I want so much for you to see it."  
Phoebe's plea was so heartfelt, so tender, that even Piper's wounded pride was touched by it. She glanced furtively at Prue, and her older sister smiled warmly.  
"Go on," she urged. "Spend some quality time with your baby sister. It will do you both a world of good."  
Piper looked next to Leo, and he grinned. "I'll still be here when you get back," he promised. "And in the meantime, I'll be busy teaching your sister how to be a White Lighter."  
Piper turned back to Phoebe, and slowly, her face lit up with a radiant smile. "Okay," she agreed grudgingly. "Fine. You win. I'll go spend a few days with you in your weird, alternate universe."  
Phoebe hugged her sister tightly. "I love you," she murmured.  
"Yeah, yeah. I love you too," Piper groused. "You big, blonde pain in my neck."  
Phoebe looked at Prue. "You don't mind if we -"  
"It's all right," Prue laughed. "Tell Prue we'll all come out for a visit, after the baby is born. When she needs an army of aunties to help with the nursery chores."  
"I'll do that," Phoebe assured her. She released Piper so she could bestow a bear hug on Prue.  
"I love you so much," she whispered in her sister's ear. "I don't want to leave you."  
Prue returned the hug with equal force. "Leaving's okay," she reminded her sister. "As long as you always come back."  
"I will, I will," promised Phoebe Halliwell. "I'll always come back home."

**Author's Note:**

> For Shannen Doherty - May God bless you, and get well soon.


End file.
